Each 5 ml oral solution contains 2.5 mg of Folic acid BP.
Folic Acid, as it is biochemically inactive, is converted to tetrahydrofolic acid and methyltetrahydrofolate by dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). These folic acid congeners are transported across cells by receptor-mediated endocytosis where they are needed to maintain normal erythropoiesis, synthesize purine and thymidylate nucleic acids, interconvert amino acids, methylate tRNA, and generate and use formate. Using vitamin B12 as a cofactor, folic acid can normalize high homocysteine levels by remethylation of homocysteine to methionine via methionine synthetase.
Route of administration: Oral.
Or as directed by the registered physician.
With medicine: Absorption of folic acid may be reduced by sulfasalazine. Concurrent administration with cholestyramine may interfere with folic acid absorption. Patients on prolonged cholestyramine therapy should take folic acid 1 hour before or 4 to 6 hours after receiving cholestyramine. Antibiotics may interfere with the microbiological assay for serum and erythrocyte folic acid concentrations and may cause falsely low results. Trimethoprim or sulphonamides, alone or in combination as co-trimoxazole, may reduce the effect of folic acid and this may be serious in patients with megaloblastic anemia. Chloramphenicol may interfere with folate metabolism. Folic acid has been observed to reduce plasma levels of anticonvulsants, particularly phenytoin, phenobarbital and primidone and therefore patients should be carefully monitored by the physician and the anticonvulsant drug dose adjusted as necessary.
With food: No interaction.
Overdose:
No cases of acute overdosage appear to have been reported, but even extremely high doses are unlikely to cause harm to patients. No special procedures or antidote are likely to be needed.
Pregnancy: Folic acid deficiency during pregnancy may lead to the appearance of foetal malformations. Imbalance in folate requiring trophoblast cells may also lead to detachment of the placenta. Harmful effects in the human foetus, mother or the pregnancy have not been reported following ingestion of folic acid. Very high doses of folic acid have been shown to cause foetal abnormalities in rats.
Lactation: Folic acid is excreted in breast milk. No adverse effects have been observed in breast-fed infants whose mothers were receiving folic acid.
Folic Acid is indicated for use in infants & children.
Folic acid should not be administered for treatment of pernicious anemia or undiagnosed megaloblastic anemia without sufficient amounts of cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12) as folic acid alone will not prevent and may precipitate development of subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord. Therefore a full clinical diagnosis should be made before initiating treatment.
Stored below 30°C temperature and dry place, protected from light.
Keep all medicines out of reach of children.