Studies on the Vitamins of Seaweeds-I

Studying into the folic acid (FA)-and folinic acid (CF)-contents of various seaweeds obtained from the southern sea coast of Japan, the following results were arrived at: 1. Not only in FA content but in CF, no notable specific variations were found between different groups of algae, while some remarkable differences were found rather between different algae belonging to the same group. A highest amount of FA was obtained with Hydroclathrus clathratus and a lowest with Endarachne binghamiae, the values being 860 mγ/g and 35 mγ/g, respectively. As regards CF content, a maximum value was found for Ceramium tenerrinum and a minimum was for Ectocarpus indices, the figures being 930 mγ/g and 12 mγ/g, respectively. 2. It was found likely that in general seaweeds contain much more FA than CF. 3. As to the distribution of the two kinds of “Free form” and “Conjugated form”, the former of FA was entirely absent in Ceramium tenerrinum and Gloiopeltis complanata and no trace of CF in “Free form” was present in Gracilaria verrucosa, either of the FA and CF estimated being in “Conjugated form”; but in general seaweeds hold “Conjugated form” much more abundantly than “Free form”. 4. In Porphyra tenera no considerable seasonal variations were seen in the both factors. 5. In seaweeds autolytic liberation of FA and CF from the conjugated form was scarcely met with. This suggests that the conjugase activity is very weak in these plants.