[Metabolism of S-methylmethionine (vitamin U) in animals]. / Metabolizm S-metilmetionina (vitamina U) u zhivotnykh.

Metabolism of S-methylmethionine (vitamin U) has been studied in rats. Biotransformation of this compound actively proceeds in the liver, kidneys, and digestive tract. Metabolism of S-methylmethionine in the liver and kidneys was found to proceed both via methylation of homocysteine with the formation of methionine and via enzymatic hydrolysis to dimethylsulfide and homoserine. In the digestive tract, only the activity of S-methylmethionine-sulphonium hydrolase was found. The physiological role of the metabolic routes under study is discussed.