• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.36 no.1
• /
• pp.57-63
• /
• 1996

The biliary excretion kinetics of the active folate derivatives were examined after an intravenous injection of methotrexate at doses of 0.3 and 10mg/kg to clarify the mechanism of the acute decrease in the plasma folate by the dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors. Even at a higher dose than used in the clinical therapy, methotrexate did not cause any acute depletion of folate denvatives in the excreted bile. Therefore, the decrease in the plasma folate appeared not to be related with the biliary excretion process of folates. A factor responsible for the plasma folate depletion by DHFR inhibitors may be due to the malabsorption of folate derivatives excreted into the small intestine.