Percy Julian was a brilliant chemist and entrepreneur who revolutionised the synthesis of medicinal compounds, such as cortisone, steroids, and birth control, from plant sources, with a talent for innovation and a knack for finding new starting materials, he discovered how to synthesise important hormones like progesterone and cortisone from abundant plant sources like soybeans. His methods made these compounds more affordable to mass produce, revolutionising the medical field and improving countless lives.
Despite facing racial prejudice, Julian persevered and contributed to the scientific community through his ingenious synthetic methods. He recognised the medicinal potential of steroids but struggled with the prohibitively expensive process of extraction from animal tissue and fluids. He turned to plant substances and conducted total synthesis of physostigmine, the active principle of the Calabar bean, used to treat glaucoma.
Working in the Soya Division of the Glidden Company in Chicago in 1936, Julian requested samples of soybean oil. He identified stigmasterol, a steroid present in soybeans, as a key starting material for steroid synthesis. By developing an innovative industrial process for converting stigmasterol to progesterone, Julian was able to mass-produce it, producing five to six pounds of progesterone per day, worth thousands of dollars in those days. This breakthrough paved the way for the synthesis of other sex hormones.
Julian’s work culminated in his synthetic methods for cortisone and hydrocortisone, two important steroids involved in treating rheumatoid arthritis and other illnesses. Julian’s work made these previously hard-to-obtain medicinal compounds more affordable to mass produce. His success in synthetic chemistry as an African American in the 20th century is nothing short of remarkable. Percy Julian’s work will continue to inspire future generations of chemists and entrepreneurs.
