Comparative thin layer chromatographic profiles of bovine urine and cervico-vaginal mucus

Abstract

A qualitative comparison of different compounds extracted from bull urine, estrus and diestrus cow urine, estrual mucus (EM) and saline wash (SW) of cervico-vaginal area of diestrus cow was conducted by thin layer chromatography (TLC). Five organic solvents (benzene, chloroform, cyclohexane, dichloromethane and petroleum ether) were tested initially for extraction of estrus cow urine. Based on the capacity of organic solvents to extract maximum number of compounds in cow urine, cyclohexane and petroleum ether were selected for final extraction of other samples. In bull urine 5 spots with different Rf values were detected as compared to 4 spots in estrus and diestrus cow urine each. However, the EM showed single spot, whereas SW failed to produce any. Rf values of different spots indicated more number of extractable compounds in bull urine as compared to estrus and diestrus cow urine and EM. Identification of chemical compounds with different Rf may give some clue about sex specific urinary chemical signals between members of the same species.