Paper II
2024 August (Supplementary) (2010 Scheme)

Question

Folic acid/ Folinic acid to treat Methotrexate toxicity Name the following (Two examples for each) (5x1=5)

Q150.3 marksShort Answers

Answer

Folinic acid (leucovorin) is the appropriate choice — methotrexate blocks dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), the enzyme needed to reduce folic acid to its active tetrahydrofolate form. Folinic acid is already a reduced folate, bypassing the DHFR block entirely to directly supply the active cofactor cells need (“leucovorin rescue”). Plain folic acid would be ineffective, since it still requires DHFR — the very enzyme methotrexate has inhibited — to become active.

Other Years Asked


Revise MBBS
Preview