CALCIUM FOLINATE 15mg

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Calcium folinate 

What is calcium folinate?

Calcium folinate or calcium leucovorin is the formyl derivative of tetrahydrofolic acid which is a metabolite and also an active form of folic acid. Calcium folinate is indicated in neutralizing the effects of methotrexate (a cancer drug and folic acid antagonist), calcium folinate rescue by using calcium folinate in conjunction with folic acid antagonists to minimize systemic toxicity and treating megaloblastic anemia. 

What are the side effects of calcium folinate?

There are no known reports of severe allergic reactions to calcium folinate, however, calcium folinate should not be administered intrathecally (via the spinal canal). Calcium folinate has also been shown to decrease the efficacy of sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim in treating pneumocystis jinovecii. 

Can calcium folinate be administered during pregnancy?

Calcium folinate should only be administered to a pregnant woman if only it is clearly needed and the potential benefits outweigh the risks of using it. 

Folic acid vs. folinic acid

Folic acid is a form of vitamin B9. It is a synthetic form of the vitamin that has to be metabolized, by the body to be used in the bio-active form - levomefolic acid. 

Folinic acid, also known as 5-formyltetrahydrofolate or leucovorin on the other hand is a formyl derivation of THF. It does not provide a molar equivalent source of folate, unlike folic acid.