Calcium-Folinate (Calcium-Folinate)
Overview of Calcium-Folinate
Calcium Folinate is used as a source of folic acid in megaloblastic anemia. Calcium Folinate is superior to folic acid in counteracting the excessive effects of the folic acid antagonists e.g. methotrexate.
Indication of Calcium-Folinate
Calcium Folinate is primarily indicated in conditions like As an antidote to methotrexate, Folate deficiency anaemia, Megaloblastic anaemia, Nausea and vomiting, Suspected methotrexate overdosage, To counteract the folate-antagonist action of methotrexate, and can also be given in adjunctive therapy as an alternative drug of choice in HIV infection.
Contraindication of Calcium-Folinate
No data regarding the contra indications of Calcium Folinate is available.
Side Effects of Calcium-Folinate
The severe or irreversible adverse effects of Calcium Folinate, which give rise to further complications include Urticaria, Anaphylactoid reactions.,The symptomatic adverse reactions produced by Calcium Folinate are more or less tolerable and if they become severe, they can be treated symptomatically, these include Fever, Hypersensitivity reactions.
Precautions of Calcium-Folinate
alcium Folinate should only be used with methotrexate or 5-FU under the direct supervision of a clinician experienced in the use of cancer chemotherapeutic agents. In the treatment of inadvertent overdosage of a folic acid antagonist, folinate should be administered as soon as possible; if a period exceeding 4 hours intervenes, the treatment may not be effective.Plasma methotrexate concentration, BUN and creatinine should be measured on days 2, 3 and 4.Parenteral administration of folinate is preferable to oral dosing following chemotherapy with folic acid antagonists if there is a possibility that the patient may vomit and not absorb the folinate.