Folic Acid Therapy

Therapeutic dose is 1 mg of folic acid per day orally. Folic

acid alone should not be given in macrocytic anemia,
because it may aggravate the neurological manifestation
of B12 deficiency.
So, folic acid and vitamin B12 are given in combination to
patients. Regular supplementation of folic acid may reduce
the incidence of birth defects, cardiovascular diseases and
cancers.
 Toxicity of Folic Acid

Doses over 1 mg may cause destruction of vitamin B12

deficiency and may precipitate nerve damage.

Since solubility of folic acid is low, large

doses should not be given parenterally, as there is
danger of crystallization in kidney tubules leading to
renal damage.
SULFONAMIDES:
structure similar to PABA

competitively inhibit the enzyme responsible

for the incorporation of PABA into dihydropteroic
acid, the immediate precursor of folic acid

CLINICAL IMPORTANCE:

When sulfonamides are given, microorganisms cannot synthesize

folic acid and hence their growth is
inhibited.
Thus sulphonamides are very good antibacterial agents,