The major neutral products of the aerobic catabolism of cattle bile by Pseudomonas sp. ATCC 31752.

Pseudomonas sp. ATCC 31752 grows aerobically on cattle bile in a fermenter utilising the bile acid conjugates as a carbon source. Under conditions of limited aeration several steroid catabolites accumulate and these were harvested in good yield. Evidence is presented to show that these compounds are the novel compounds 12 beta-hydroxy-4, 6-androsta diene-3, 17-dione (VII) and 7 alpha, 12 beta-dihydroxy-4-androstene-3, 17-dione (VIII) together with the known bile acid catabolites 7 alpha, 12 beta-dihydroxy-1,4-androstadiene-3, 17-dione (IV), 7 alpha-hydroxy-1, 4-androstadiene-3, 17-dione (V) and 12 beta-hydroxy-1, 4-androstadiene-3, 17-dione (VI).