In spite of the fact that noncolored (nonaromatic)
naphthalane containing high sterane content has been proved as bioactive and efficient in the treatment of
psoriasis vulgaris, brown naphthalanes, which contain aromatics, are still in use. Thousands of patients, who have been passing through the
therapy, deserve thorough and permanent study of brown naphthalanes. For that reason, two frequently used brown
naphthalane preparations, one of the Azerbaijani (N1) and the other of the Croatian (N2) origin, were studied. The samples underwent the study by means of GC, OT LC, and normal-phase HPLC, as separation techniques. In addition, some bulk properties, elemental composition, and group composition by 1H NMR were determined. GC-MS served in compound types, especially in sterane detection. Both of the samples were found to be unresolved
complex mixtures, relatively poor in n-
alkanes. Isoalkanes,
cycloalkanes, and aromatic compounds, in a great variety of isomers and homologs, made the majority of both of the samples. N1 was a dark, viscous, nontransparent fluid with a strong
petroleum smell. Aromatics, which made 53% mass by OT LC and 54% mass by 1H NMR were found to be composed of mono-, di-, and tri+ -aromatic compounds. Tri+ -aromatic compounds were three to four times more abundant in N1 than in N2. Beside
hydrocarbons, N1 comprised some organic compounds with polar functional groups. Also, some asphaltenes were found in it. N1 contained well-presented steranes, which are thought to be bioactive
naphthalane ingredients. N2 was a pale brown liquid, with smell similar to
gasoline. It contained somewhat lower percentage of aromatics (46% mass) and comparatively lower percentage of tri+ fused aromatics among which
carcinogens might be expected. N2 was almost purely composed of
hydrocarbons. It seemed to contain low content of steranes due to relatively low upper temperature of the distillation range applied in N2 preparation.