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The Beneficial Effect of Folate‐Enriched Egg on the Folate and Homocysteine Levels in Rats Fed a Folate‐ and Choline‐Deficient Diet
Author(s) -
Sugiyama Ayami,
Awaji Hiroyo,
Horie Kenji,
Kim Mujo,
Nakata Rieko
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1750-3841
pISSN - 0022-1147
DOI - 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2012.02997.x
Subject(s) - choline , homocysteine , folic acid , chemistry , endocrinology , medicine , biochemistry , biology
We investigated the effects of folate‐enriched egg yolk powder on folate and homocysteine levels in plasma and liver of rats fed the folate‐ and choline‐deficient diet to determine bioavailability in vivo . Three‐wk‐old Wistar rats were fed (1) the pteroylglutamate (PteGlu), (2) the choline, (3) the PteGlu and choline, (4) the folate‐enriched egg yolk powder diet for 4 wk after having been fed the folate‐ and choline‐deficient diet. The hepatic folate level in the folate‐enriched egg yolk powder group was significantly higher than that in the folate‐ and choline‐deficient or the control groups. The homocysteine concentration in plasma and liver of the folate‐enriched egg yolk powder group was significantly lower than that of the folate‐ and choline‐deficient or the PteGlu groups. The S‐adenosyl‐methionine (SAM)/S‐adenosyl‐homocysteine (SAH) ratio in the folate‐enriched egg yolk powder group was significantly higher than that in the folate‐ and choline‐deficient group. These effects were similar in the PteGlu and choline, but not the PteGlu or the choline groups. These data suggest that the intake of folate‐enriched eggs, as well as of both folate and choline, induced the beneficial effects on folate and homocysteine metabolism. Thus, folate‐enriched eggs could be used as beneficial source of folate with a high bioavailability.