Preparation of inositol phosphates from sodium phytate by enzymatic and nonenzymatic hydrolysis.

Procedures for preparing myo-inositol bis-, tris-, tetrakis-, and pentakisphosphates from sodium phytate were established. Hydrolysis was achieved by autoclaving or enzymatic treatment; the inositol phosphates were separated by anion-exchange chromatography and were identified by fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry. Enzymatic hydrolysis was more specific than autoclaving for isomer formation, whereas autoclaving was more efficient for producing the bis- and trisphosphates, which did not accumulate in significant amounts under the conditions of enzymatic hydrolysis. Sodium salts of the inositol phosphates were more powdery and less hygroscopic than the potassium salts. The procedures were satisfactory for producing gram quantities of each inositol phosphate, amounts adequate for animal studies of effects on mineral bioavailability.