The synthetic (racemic) 5-formyl derivative of folic acid; more stable to oxidation than folic acid itself, and commonly used in pharmaceutical preparations. Also known as folinic acid.
Folinic acid, the active form of folic acid in the body. It is used to treat anemia and as an antidote to protect normal cells from high doses of the anticancer drug methotrexate and to increase the antitumor effects of fluorouracil (5-FU) and tegafur-uracil.