Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Can folic acid be substituted with folinic acid?


  • Folic Acid and folinic acid are forms of vitamin B9. 
  • The human body needs folate to perform many functions, including cell division, growth, and the production of new red blood cells
  • Folinic acid is chemically different to folic acid but both work in a similar way
  • Folinic acid is a metabolically active reduced form of folate that bypasses dihydrofolate reductase
  • It has an important role in the treatment of methotrexate overdose and acute bone marrow toxicity, due to its faster action and independence of dihydrofolate reductase

Substitution in Toxoplasmosis:

  • Toxoplasma cannot take in folinic acid, but can absorb folic acid, thereby partially bypassing the synergistic activity of pyrimethamine and sulphonamide.
  • Hence folinic acid should be used to prevent toxicity and folic acid should be avoided since it might thwart the therapeutic effect.

References:

  1. Toxoplasmosis A Comprehensive Clinical Guide by D.H.M Joynson and T.G Wreghitt 2005 pg 322


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