Isolation and identification of prostaglandin E2 from gastrointestinal tract of shark Triakis scyllia.

A prostaglandin was isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of the shark Triakis scyllia and identified as prostaglandin E2 by bioassay, thin-layer chromatography, gas-liquid chromatography, ultraviolet absorption spectrometry and mass spectrometry. The fatty acid composition of the tissue was also determined. The amount of eicosatetraenoic acid in this tissue was 17.2% of the total fatty acids, but the percentages of eicosatrienoic acid and eicospentaenoid acid were low.