Putrescine, spermidine, N-acetylspermidine and spermine in the urine of patients with leukaemias and tumors.

1. N-Monoacetylspermidine A and B were isolated from human urine. Structures of the isolated compounds were assigned to monoacetylspermidines by analyses of the products of acid hydrolysis and elementary analyses. The identification was confirmed by comparison of the chromatographic and electrophoretic properties and infrared spectra of the isolated compounds with those of the authentic compounds. 2. The concentrations of urinary polyamines were determined by the combination of ion-exchange chromatography and high-voltage paper electrophoresis. The amount of putrescine fell in the range of 1--6;spermidine, 1--3;spermine, 3--15 and N-acetylspermidines, 2--10 nmoles/mg creatinine for both sexes and different ages. 3. The amounts of urinary polyamines were measured in patients with cancers. The remarkable increase of urinary spermine was observed in blood cancer, while in the other solid cancers the increase of urinary polyamines was not observed.