Folacin

An older term for the B vitamin folic acid or folate. Folacin plays an important role in cell reproduction and has a protective effect against a variety of disorders, especially birth defects. Good sources of folacin include dried beans and peas, green vegetables, oranges, whole grains, and fortified grain products.


A member of the vitamin B complex group is necessary for cell growth and reproduction. A deficiency can result in megaloblastic anemia is a water-soluble vitamin.


An essential B vitamin that participates in one-carbon transfer. Folic acid (folate or folacin) is the generic term for pteroylmonoglutamic acid and its related biologically active compounds. A number of derivatives have vitamin activity. The derivatives include the addition of hydrogen at N5 and N10 and only one glutamate attached to para-aminobenzoic acid. This derivative is called tetrahydrofolic acid (THF). Other derivatives can have a methyl group attached at N5, a methyl bridge between N5 and NIO or a methylene bridge at this position or an aldehyde group at either N5 or N10 or a HCNH group at N5. All of these derivatives have vitamin activity because vitamin activity is dependent on the presence of a pterin structure with variable hydrogenation or methyl addition at N5 or N10 and the presence of at least one glutamyl residue linked via peptide bonds to p-aminobenzoic acid. Methotrexate (4-amino-N10-methyl folic acid, an antineoplastic agent) and aminopterin (4-amino folic acid, a rodenticide) are folate antagonists and as such are useful pharmaceutical agents against cell growth. Folacin is an orange-yellow crystal with a melting point of 250°C. It is unstable to ultraviolet light, heat, oxygen, acid conditions, and divalent metal ions such as iron and copper.


 


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