INTESTINAL-ABSORPTION AND ENTEROHEPATIC CIRCULATION OF FOLIC-ACID - EFFECT OF ETHANOL

This study sought to determine the intestinal in vivo absorption of fo lic acid by the whole intestine, and the appearance of this compound i n bile in control and ethanol-fed rats, Intestinal folic acid absorpti on in rats with the bile duct cannulated decreased in ethanol-fed rats with respect to control rats. This difference was significant at 1 an d 2.5 mu M concentrations of folic acid. This result is in contrast wi th previous work in our laboratory on rats with intact bile ducts, whe re ethanol-fed rats had an increase in folic acid absorption. The resu lts obtained in the present work suggest an impaired enterohepatic rec ycling of folic acid in ethanol-fed rats.