Abstract

FORRELLAT BARRIOS, Mariela; FERNANDEZ DELGADO, Norma; GAUTIER DU DEFAIX GOMEZ, Hortensia  and  BENITEZ ZEQUEIRA, Daniel. Modification of a culture medium for the determination of folates. Rev Cubana Hematol Inmunol Hemoter [online]. 2004, vol.20, n.1, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-2996.

For the determination of folates it is used a microbiological technique requiring the use of culture media that are difficult to be acquired, since they are imported. During the last years, there have been difficulties to obtain the liquid maintenance medium that led to the development of a medium that allow to keep on making these important determinations. It was attained by modifying a commercial culture medium by using orange juice from any variety that was called CITRUFOL-IHI. The results of the comparison with the commercial culture medium showed the validity of the substitution, making possible to continue the determinations of folates as a support of the prevention programs of congenital malformations and for studying megasloblastic anemias and neuropathies. CITRUFOL-IHI may be easily produced in small quantities according to the needs, avoiding the losses by deterioration, and turning it into a reagent with generalization possibilities

Keywords : folic acid; culture media; folic acid deficiency.