Percy Lavon Julian

Percy Lavon Julian (pronounced: per-see la-von joo-lee-an) was an American research chemist and a pioneer in the chemical synthesis of medicinal drugs from plants. He was the first to synthesize the natural product physostigmine, and a pioneer in the industrial large-scale chemical synthesis of the human hormones progesterone and testosterone from plant sterols such as stigmasterol and sitosterol. His work laid the foundation for the steroid drug industry's production of corticosteroids, birth control pills, and other hormones.

Etymology

The name Percy is of French origin, derived from the old French word "Perci", meaning "pierce the hedge", as such names were given to infantry who were employed in such tasks. The middle name Lavon does not have a known etymology. The surname Julian is of Latin origin, derived from the personal name Julianus, which means "youthful" or "downy".

Related Terms

Chemist: A scientist who studies the composition of substances, investigates their properties and reactions, and uses this knowledge to form new substances.
Physostigmine: A parasympathomimetic alkaloid, specifically, a reversible cholinesterase inhibitor obtained from the Calabar bean.
Progesterone: A steroid hormone released by the corpus luteum that stimulates the uterus to prepare for pregnancy.
Testosterone: The primary sex hormone and anabolic steroid in males. In male humans, testosterone plays a key role in the development of male reproductive tissues such as testes and prostate.
Stigmasterol: A member of the class of sterols, molecules featuring a core of linked hydrocarbon rings. It is found in a variety of plant sources.
Sitosterol: One of several phytosterols (plant sterols) with chemical structures similar to that of cholesterol.
Corticosteroids: A class of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex of vertebrates.
Birth control pills: Contraceptive pills that are taken orally to prevent pregnancy.
Hormones: Chemical substances produced in the body that control and regulate the activity of certain cells or organs.