Vargha László et al. (szerk.): Beszámoló a Gyógyszeripari Kutató Intézet 10 éves működéséről 1950-1959 (Budapest, 1969)
dr. Bite Pál: A hazai szteringyártás növényi alapjai
DR. P. BITE : ON PLANT SOURCES OF THE HUNGARIAN STERINE PRODUCTION Inexpensive inland raw material was needed for the development of a large scale Hungarian production in steroid drugs. At the opening of the fifties two alkaloids, tomatidin and solasodin, appeared to be suitable for that purpose. Intensive studies have been undertaken both in the sphere of plant cultivation and in the chemical field. Chemical inquiry involved investigation of the plants for alkaloid content, elaboration of the best method of procedure for isolation of the alkaloids, furthermore, bringing about the breakdown of tomatidin and solasodin by a process providing the most favourable yield of pregnenolone and pregnadienolone, the key materials of sterine production. 96
