Volatile fatty acids, “copulins”, in human vaginal secretions

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Abstract

(1) In a double-blind study using a new tampon method, 682 samples of vaginal secretions were collected from 50 healthy young women attending a university. (2) Samples were analyzed by gas chromatography for the volatile fatty acids (C2-C6) that have sex-attractant properties in infra-human primates. (3) All subjects produced some acids but acetic predominated; however, 30% of women provided samples containing more than 10 μg of other acids in addition to acetic, and these women formed a sub-group termed ‘producers’. (4) The content of volatile acids increased significantly during the first half of the cycle and declined during the second half of the cycle. (5) Increases in propanoic, methylpropanoic, butanoic, methylbutanoic and methylpentanoic acids contributed especially to the increased content during the first half of the cycle. (6) Women taking oral contraceptives had a lower overall content of acids in their vaginal secretions, and the mid-cycle increase was absent. (7) The mid-cycle increase was particularly well-marked in women ‘producers’. (8) The biosynthesis of the acids is discussed.

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