Deranged folic acid metabolism in diabetes-induced rats.

Metabolic changes in the folic acid and their conjugated polyglutamyl derivatives have been studied in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Conjugated folates which constituted about 70% in normal rat liver get rapidly hydrolysed to simple unconjugated forms as the diabetes progressed leaving behind only 2% after 25 days of the onset of diabetes. Chromatographic analysis shows significant alterations in the formyl- and methyltetrahydrofolate derivatives and their polyglutamylation profiles. A 7-8 fold higher urinary excretion of mainly methyltetrahydrofolate is also observed in diabetic rats.