Studies of Antipyretic Component of the Earthworm

지렁이(지룡)의 해열성분에 관한 연구

In order to confirm the exact antipyretic component in the earthworm, etherial extract of American earthworm(Red Worm) was fractionated into five fractions by using silica gel column chromatography and thin layer chromatography. The fraction including free fatty acids was found to possess artipyretic response and standard arachidonic acid showed marked antipyretic response on typhoid vaccinated rabbits. Arachidonic acid was identified from the free fatty acid fraction of the earthworm by using gas liquid chromatography. Thus it was considered that the antipyretic activity of the free fatty acid may be due to the presence of arachidonic acid. Lipid-free earthworm powder was extracted with phosphate buffer (pH, 8.0, 0.1M) and all the proteins was salted out by ammonium sulfate. The crude precipitate was dialyzed and the impure proteins were eliminated at pH 5.4 and 4.6. The remaining protein solution was fractionated with various concentrations of acetone. The acetone fractions were identified by using S.D.S. polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and disc gel electrophoresis. The precipitate at 85% acetone concentration and the remaining proteins in the supernatant did not exhibit the antipyretic activity.