Folic acid, also known as vitamin B9, is a water-soluble B vitamin that occurs naturally in many foods. It is important for cell division and growth, especially during periods of rapid cell division and growth like infancy and pregnancy. Folic acid works as a coenzyme in single carbon transfers that are critical for DNA synthesis and metabolism. A deficiency can result in health issues like megaloblastic anemia or neural tube defects in developing embryos. Good dietary sources include leafy green vegetables, legumes, liver, and fortified grains.

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3. • Folic acid (also known as folate, vitamin
M, vitamin B9(or folacin), pteroyl-
L-glutamic acid, pteroyl-L-glutamate,
• and pteroylmonoglutamic acid are forms
of the water-soluble vitamin B9.

4. • Folic acid is itself not biologically active,
but its
• biological importance is due to
tetrahydrofolate and other derivatives after
its conversion to dihydrofolic acid in the
liver

5. • Folate and folic acid derive their names
from the Latin word folium (which means
"leaf"). Leafy vegetables are principal
sources of folic acid,

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it is also known as folacin or folate.
it is water soluble vitamin .
it is yellow crystalline substance.

7. • Chemically it consists of pteridine, para-
aminobenzoic acid, and glutamate (Pte-
GLU). Additional glutamate groups may
be added via the γ-carboxylate group,
resulting in polyglutamates (PteGLUn).
Folic acid can occur in the reduced or the
oxidized form,

8. FOLLIC ACID
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11. Folic acid structure

14. Sources
• Certain foods are very high in folate:
• Leafy vegetables such as spinach,
asparagus, turnip greens, lettuce and
some Asian vegetables[
• Legumes such as dried or fresh beans,
peas and lentils
• Egg yolk

15. • Baker's yeast
• Fortified grain products (pasta, cereal, bread);
some breakfast cereals (ready-to-eat and
others) are fortified with folate
• Sunflower seeds
• Liver and liver products contain high amounts of
folate
• Kidney

16. VITAMIN B9 (Folic Acid)
SOURCES
 Liver
 Yeast
 Kidney
 Green leafy
vegetables
 Meat
 Fish
RDA: 100 microgm/day

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Absorption & excretion
It is readily absorbed in the jejunum & ileum
of small intestine .
storage – liver.
Excretion –through feces and urine

18. COENZYME FORMS OF FOLIC ACID:
1. Tetrahydrofolic acid, FH4:
2. Folinic acid:
3. Rhizopterin:

19. METABOLIC ROLE
(ONE CARBON METABOLISM):
FH4 is the coenzyme form of folic acid and it
acts as coenzyme in transfer and utilization
of one carbon moiety [C1]
One Carbon Donor and Acceptor Compounds:

20. One carbon donor group One carbon acceptor group
Formimino group of
formimino glu [from his].
N-formyl methionine of
transfer-RNA.
Methyl group of methionine. Glycine to form serine.
Methyl group of methionine. Glycine to form serine.
Methyl group of thymine. Uracil to form thymine.
β-carbon of serine. Ethanolamine to form choline.
Gly, trp, ALA and acetone, Positions 2 and 8 of purine
ring.
Histidine synthesis.

21. FOLATE ANTAGONISTS:
1. SULFONAMIDES
2. TRIMETHOPRIM:
3. PYRIMETHAMINE:
4. AMINOPTERIN AND AMETHOPTERIN:
5. Methotraxate

22. • Antifolates
• Folate is important for cells and tissues
that rapidly divide Cancer cells divide
rapidly, and drugs that interfere with folate
metabolism are used to treat cancer.

23. It is especially important in aiding rapid
cell division and growth, such as in infancy
and pregnancy. Children and adults both
require folic acid to produce healthy red
blood cells and prevent anemia

24. • Folate is a coenzyme for single carbon
transfers (addition or subtraction of a
single carbon molecule). This is critical for
DNA metabolism. A folate coenzyme is
necessary to synthesize nucleotides from
their components, in order to make DNA
as well as RNA.

25. • A folate coenzyme is also necessary for
the synthesis of the amino acid
methionine. Methionine is part of the chain
of reactions leading to the production of S-
adenosylmethionine (SAMe;( SAMe is a
methyl donor).

26. • Folate is therefore necessary for reactions
that involve methylation,many of which are
critical to cell function and survival.

27. • Deficiency can result in many health
problems, the most notable one being
neural tube defects in developing
embryos.

28. • Common symptoms of folate deficiency
include diarrhea, macrocytic anemia with
weakness or shortness of breath, nerve
damage with weakness and limb numbness
(peripheral neuropathypregnancy
complications, mental confusion,

29. forgetfulness or other cognitive declines,
mental depression, sore or swollen
tongue, peptic or mouth ulcers,
headaches, heart palpitations, irritability,
and behavioral disorders. Low levels of
folate can also lead to homocysteine
accumulation

30. • DNA synthesis and repair are impaired
and this could lead to cancer development

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Daily requirement
Men – women – 100 mcg
Children – 80 mcg.
Infant – 25 mcg
pregnant women – 400mcg

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DEFICIENCY
Anemia – often occurs in pregnant women and
also children
skin – loss of hair, grayish brown skin
pigmentation can also occur.
Nervous – mental depression & fatigue.
ORAL- severe ulcerative stomatitis may be seen.
swelling & redness of lips.

33. Folic acid function

35. Hair & Skin – it is essential for the health of
skin & hair
Pregnancy – it is an important nutrient for the
pregnant women & her developing fetus.&
folic acid improves the lactation.

36. Folic Acid Deficiency
Deficiency causes:
• Sensations of
weakness
• Numbness and
tingling of fingers and
toes
• Ulcers in the mouth
• Sore tongues
Feelings of weakness
:

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FUNCTIONS
Formation of RBC – folic acid in
combination with vitamin B12 is essential for
formation, and maturation of RBCs

38. DEFICIENCY:
It is the most common vitamin deficiency observed primarily in
pregnant women, lactating mother , women on OCPs and alcoholics.
In pregnancy decreased absorption and increased clearance is the
cause.
 Anaemia: macrocytic type
FIGLU test - to detect folate deficiency.

39. – Folacin = Folate = Folic
acid
– Deficiency causes
neural tube defects –
in utero
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42. • The antifolate methotrexate is a drug often
used to treat cancer because it Inhibits the
production of the active form of THF from
the inactive dihydrofolate (DHF

43. •SUMMARY
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44. FUNCTIONS:
The active form of folic acid is
Tetrahydrofolate.It acts as coenzymes in
various bio-chemical reactions.

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BIOCHEMISTRY PEARLS
• Folate (folic acid) is an essential
vitamin that, in its active form of
tetrahydrofolate, transfers 1-carbon
groups to intermediates in metabolism
and plays an important role in DNA
synthesis.

46. • THF is necessary for the de novo
synthesis of purines and the conversion of
deoxyuridine 5’-monophosphate (dUMP)
to deoxythymidine 5’-monophosphate
(dTMP).
• The major metabolic perturbation in folate
deficiency occurs in megaloblastic
anemia.