GB650751A - A process for the manufacture of liver extracts from livers of fishes of the shark variety - Google Patents

Abstract

Liver extract, suitable for oral and/or parenteral administration and derived from the livers of fish of the shark family, is prepared by subjecting the livers to pressure and/or extracting them with acidulated water to obtain a liquor the pH of which is adjusted, if necessary, so that on heating coagulated protein and tissue material separate therefrom and the coagulated material and oil are removed by methods known to be capable of producing a clear oil-free liver extract. The livers may be (a) minced, macerated with acidulated water of pH 4.5 for 12 to 18 hours, (b) minced, the pulp mixed with sand, pressed, resoaked in water and again pressed, the liquor so formed being adjusted, if necessary, to a pH of 4.5 and the mixture heated to 80 DEG C. the oil floated off, the residue centrifugal and concentrated in vacuo at a temperature not exceeding 60 DEG F. to provide a liquor (A) which is worked up into preparations suitable for patenteral or oral administration. In the former case, the liquor (A) is extracted with ether to remove residual fat, 90 per cent alcohol is added to produce 70 per cent alcohol in the mixture, the inactive precipitate removed, the clear liquor so formed further concentrated and absolute alcohol added to produce a 90 per cent alcohol mixture, the precipitated active material being dissolved in sterile distilled water containing phenol, filtered through a bacteria proof filter and ampouled. For oral administration the liquor (A) is concentrated in vacus to a syrupy consistency, residual oil removed by ether extraction, and suitably diluted used as such with, if desired, the further addition of glycerin or alcohol and suitable flavours.