Folic acid protects against potato glycoalkaloid alpha-chaconine-induced disruption of frog embryo cell membranes and developmental toxicity

To demonstrate whether folic acid can protect Xenopus embryos against reported adverse effects of the potato glycoalkaloid alpha-chaconine, the frog embryos were exposed simultaneously to the glycoalkaloid, folic acid (pteroylglutamic acid), and an electrochromic fluorescent dye, Di-4-ANEPPS, in a specially designed instrument that measures embryonic membrane potential. Folic acid decreased the chaconine-induced fluorescence, with a maximum decrease occurring at about 10 mg/L of both folic acid and the glycoalkaloid dissolved in solution. The protective effect was also operative in the frog embryo teratogenesis assay-Xenopus (FETAX), in which survival and teratogenicity of the whole embryos were the endpoints. Possible mechanisms of the protective effect and the possible significance of the results to food safety and health are discussed.