Treatment of folate-deficient megaloblastic anaemias: severemalnutrition, repeated attacksof malaria, intestinal parasitosis, etc.
Forms and strengths
5 mg tablet
Dosage and duration
Child under 1 year: 0.5 mg/kg once daily for 4 months
Child over 1 year and adult: 5 mg once daily for 4 months;15 mg once daily in malabsorption states
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
Do not combine with sulfadiazine-pyrimethamine in patients with toxoplasmosis nor sulfadoxine- pyrimethamine in patients with malaria: folic acid reduces the efficacy of these treatments.
Pregnancy: no contra-indication
Breast-feeding: no contra-indication
Remarks
Folic acid must not be used for the treatment of anaemia due to antifolates (pyrimethamine, trimethoprim or methotrexate). Use folinic acid.
Folic acid is also used for primary and secondary prophylaxis of neural tube defects and for prophylaxis of acute anaemia in patients with sickle-cell anaemia.