Axillary malodor production: A new mechanism
C. Froebe , A. Simone , A. Charig , E. Eigen

Synopsis

The mechanism proposed by Eigen (1) for the generation of axillary malodor from steroids has been explored. Previous work indicated that axillary odor is largely due to the steroids 16,5α-androstene-3β-ol and 16,5α-androsten-3-one. Following Eigen, we theorize that sterile and odorless apocrine secretions from the axilla contain these steroids as their water-soluble sulfates and glucoronides and that odor is produced only after the volatile free steroids are liberated from these esters by bacterial hydrolytic enzymes such as aryl sulfatase and beta-glucuronidase. Support for this hypothesis was obtained by producing odor from sterile, odorless, apocrine sweat by the addition of either of the two enzymes, or of the corynebacterial strains that produce them. Finally, steroid malodor production can be prevented by inhibitors of beta-glucuronidase and of aryl sulftase.

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