Effect of phenobarbitone on folic acid metabolism in the rat

Anticonvulsant drugs have well-known relationships with folic acid, often leading, in epileptic patients on long term treatment to signs of folic acid deficiency and to haematological complications. The findings of this work, carried out on rats, show strong interference of phenobarbitone with folic acid metabolism, particularly with pteroylpolyglutamate synthesis in liver. This is proved by lower polyglutamate content, lower 3H folate incorporation in polyglutamate forms and in protein-bound folates, and also by lower blood radioactivity, higher urinary excretion of 3H folate metabolites and by higher 3H folate concentration in kidneys.