• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.337-343
• /
• 1991

The effect of 9-methyl folate on histidine oxidation, the uptake of an injected dose of $[^{3}H]folate$ by the livers and kidneys, the hepatic and blood folate levels were investigated by feeding crude x-methyl folate(XMF) at a level of 5 g per kg diet. 9-Methyl folate is konwn as a major forate antagonist in XMF to produce deficiency signs in rat. Feeding of XMF decreased histidine oxidation and hepatic folate levels significantly, which showed the function of 9-methyl folate as an antifolate in rats. The hepatic uptake of labeled folate in XMF- fed rats was decreased significantly. These data led to conclude that 9-methyl folate inhibited folate uptake and retention by tissue, especially liver, which could explain the low liver folate levels and the decreased histidine oxidation. However, only very low level of 9-methyl folate was detected in liver. It suggested that 9-methyl folate may be metabolized very quickly in the liver after uptaken.