Lipids of human and equine smegma.

The lipids of human and equine smegma pools were saponified and the total fatty acids submitted to temperature programmed gas chromatography (GC) analysis. In contrast to the human products, the horse smegma fatty acids contained very low odd saturated as well as olefinic branched chain acid contents. The cyclopropane fatty acid, 9,10-methyleneoctadecanoic acid, occurred in smegma sampled from men over 35 years of age but could not be detected in the pool from persons of 17-20 years of age nor in any of the equine mixtures. The alcoholic fraction from horse smegma contained about 85% sterol, the remainder constituting alcohols of C12 to C28 and of which 43.5% were branched chain components. The corresponding product from human smegma was primarily sterol. Squalene comprised the main hydrocarbon present in smegma of either species.