title: Tetrahydrofolic acid as the principal congener of plasma folates in pigs.
abstract: Concentrations of pig plasma folates were determined by a high-performance liquid chromatography with an electrochemical detector (HPLC-ECD). Tetrahydrofolic acid (THF) and 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid (5-MF) were found to be the plasma folates. The concentration of THF (10.3 +/- 4.3 ng/ml) was significantly higher than that of 5-MF (3.5 +/- 1.0 ng/ml). The sum of the THF and 5-MF concentrations determined by the HPLC-ECD analysis in Göttingen miniature pigs was comparable to the total folate concentration of the same plasma sample determined by a radioligand assay. No or only trace amounts of THF were found in the plasma of the rats, mice, rabbits, dogs, cows, horses, or humans. Although 5-MF is generally recognized as the only principal plasma folate in many species, THF may be the principal congener with 5-MF as a secondary congener in the pig.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Natsuhori
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimoda
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kokue
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayama
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008322:Mammals; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature; D013763:Tetrahydrofolates / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D013763:Tetrahydrofolates; C030371:5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolic acid; D005492:Folic Acid