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leucovorin calcium the calcium salt of folinic acid, used as an antidote for folic acid antagonists, e.g., methotrexate, when there is need to reverse the toxic effects of the latter, in the treatment of megaloblastic anemias due to folic acid deficiency, and as an adjunct in the palliative treatment of colorectal carcinoma; administered orally, intramuscularly, or intravenously.
fo·lin·ic ac·id(fō-lin'ik as'id),
1. The active form of folic acid that acts as a formyl group carrier in transformylation reactions; the calcium salt, leucovorin calcium, has therapeutic use.
2. The term is occasionally applied to other folates.
leucovorin/leu·co·vo·rin/ (-vor´in) folinic acid; the calcium salt is used as an antidote for folic acid antagonists, e.g., methotrexate, and in the treatment of megaloblastic anemias due to folic acid deficiency and colorectal carcinoma.
A form of folic acid that is used to counteract the toxic effects of folic acid antagonists such as methotrexate and is also given as an adjuvant to increase the effectiveness of certain chemotherapy drugs, such as fluorouracil. It is usually given in the form of its calcium salt.
See folinic acid.
see folinic acid.