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. 1970 Feb;116(4):681–688. doi: 10.1042/bj1160681

Factors affecting formiminoglutamic acid excretion in vitamin B12 deficiency

Hedley R Marston 1,*, Shirley H Allen 1,†
PMCID: PMC1185413  PMID: 5435494

Abstract

1. Formiminoglutamic acid, a product of the catabolism of histidine, is excreted in abnormally large amounts in the urines of vitamin B12-deficient rats and of vitamin B12-deficient sheep; the excretion is reduced to negligible amounts after administration of vitamin B12. 2. After administration of certain methyl donors to vitamin B12-deficient rats or sheep urinary excretion of formiminoglutamic acid is temporarily decreased. 3. Irrespective of the pteroylglutamic acid status of the animals neither vitamin B12-deficient rats nor vitamin B12-deficient sheep have the ability to deal efficiently with histidine. 4. In sheep, urinary excretion of formiminoglutamic acid is increased after administration of aminopterin; treatment with pteroylglutamic acid restores the ability of the animal to deal with the catabolic products of histidine. 5. The possible functions of vitamin B12 and methionine in relieving a virtual deficiency of pteroylglutamic acid are discussed.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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