Ácido fólico
Folic Acid
Pteroylglutamic acid
También conocido como: Folvite · Deplin · Folate · Folacin · Vitamin B9 · Acidum folicum · Pteroylglutamic acid · Pteroylmonoglutamic acid · Vitamin B11
Revisado por el equipo veterinario de VetSheetActualizado 5 abr 2026Referencia veterinaria basada en la evidencia
Las dosis son una referencia clínica para profesionales veterinarios autorizados. Confirme siempre con el prospecto actual y cada paciente individual.
Dosis por especie
🌎 NA — North America🌍 EU — Europe
Perros
| Indicación | Dosis | Vía | Frecuencia | Duración | Región |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe folate deficiency | 0.5-2 mg (total dose) PO once daily | PO | q24h | 1 month | 🌎 NA |
| Folate and cobalamin deficiency secondary to inflammatory bowel disease | 5 mg (total dose) PO once daily | PO | q24h | 1-6 months | 🌎 NA |
- Folate and cobalamin deficiency secondary to inflammatory bowel disease: Given with cyanocobalamin 750 micrograms parenterally once per month.
Gatos
| Indicación | Dosis | Vía | Frecuencia | Duración | Región |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe folate deficiency | 0.5-2 mg (total dose) PO once daily | PO | q24h | 1 month | 🌎 NA |
| Folate deficiency secondary to exocrine pancreatic insufficiency | 400 micrograms (0.4 mg) PO once daily | PO | q24h | — | 🌎 NA |
| Long-term use of high dose trimethoprim/sulfa (for treating Nocardia) | 2 mg (total dose) PO once daily | PO | q24h | — | 🌎 NA |
| Adjunctive therapy in cats with inflammatory bowel disease | 0.5-1 mg PO q24h (once daily) | PO | q24h | 4-6 weeks | 🌎 NA |
- Adjunctive therapy in cats with inflammatory bowel disease: Given with cobalamin at 125-250 micrograms SC or IM once a week.
Caballos
| Indicación | Dosis | Vía | Frecuencia | Duración | Región |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prolonged therapy with antifolate medications (e.g., trimethoprim, pyrimethamine) | 20-40 mg (total dose) PO per day | PO | q24h | — | 🌎 NA |
- Prolonged therapy with antifolate medications (e.g., trimethoprim, pyrimethamine): Pregnant mares should routinely receive folic acid supplementation during treatment with antifolates.
Las dosis son una referencia clínica para profesionales veterinarios autorizados. Confirme siempre con el prospecto actual y cada paciente individual.
Resumen
El ácido fólico (vitamina B9) es una vitamina hidrosoluble vital, esencial para la síntesis de nucleoproteínas y la eritropoyesis normal (producción de glóbulos rojos).
En medicina veterinaria, se utiliza principalmente para tratar deficiencias de folato, que a menudo surgen de forma secundaria a trastornos gastrointestinales.
Perlas clínicas y utilidad diagnóstica:
- Sitio de absorción: El folato se absorbe exclusivamente en el intestino delgado proximal, mientras que la cobalamina (vitamina B12) se absorbe en el intestino delgado distal.
- Indicador diagnóstico: Medir el folato y la cobalamina séricos ayuda a localizar la enfermedad intestinal. Un nivel bajo de folato sugiere una enfermedad en el intestino delgado proximal.
- Sobrecrecimiento bacteriano: Los perros con insuficiencia pancreática exocrina (EPI) o sobrecrecimiento bacteriano en el intestino delgado (SIBO) a menudo presentan niveles aumentados de folato sérico, ya que las bacterias entéricas sintetizan folato.
- Rescate antifolato: También se utiliza para prevenir o tratar las deficiencias causadas por la administración crónica de inhibidores de la dihidrofolato reductasa (p. ej., trimetoprima, pirimetamina).
Mecanismo de acción
Folic acid is a precursor that must be enzymatically reduced to become biologically active.
Mechanism Pathway: Folic Acid → reduced by dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) → Tetrahydrofolate (THF / 5-methyltetrahydrofolate).
- THF acts as a crucial coenzyme and methyl donor in the synthesis of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides.
- This pathway is absolutely necessary for DNA synthesis, cellular division, and the maintenance of normal erythropoiesis.
- Drugs like trimethoprim and methotrexate competitively inhibit DHFR, blocking this pathway and potentially causing megaloblastic anemia or leukopenia, which is why folic acid supplementation is used as a rescue therapy.
Seguridad y advertencias
Contraindicaciones
- Known intolerance or hypersensitivity to folic acid
- Undiagnosed anemias (folic acid therapy may mask the hematologic signs of pernicious anemia/cobalamin deficiency while neurologic damage progresses)
Efectos adversos
- Hypersensitivity reactions (rare)
- Gastrointestinal effects (rare)
- CNS effects such as difficulty sleeping, excitement, or confusion (seen only at very high oral doses in humans, e.g., 15 mg/day)
Precauciones
Important: Do not administer therapeutic doses of folic acid to dogs with enteropathies until baseline serum folate and cobalamin levels have been determined, as dogs may have increased, normal, or decreased folate levels depending on the specific disease process (e.g., bacterial overgrowth vs. malabsorption).
- Prolonged folic acid supplementation can potentially decrease serum cobalamin (B-12) levels.
- Folic acid is considered very safe during pregnancy (FDA Category A) and lactation. Requirements may actually increase in lactating animals.
Interacciones farmacológicas
May delay the hematologic response to folic acid.
Inhibits dihydrofolate reductase; interferes with folic acid utilization.
Inhibits dihydrofolate reductase; interferes with folic acid utilization.
Inhibits dihydrofolate reductase; interferes with folic acid utilization.
Folic acid may decrease serum phenytoin levels, potentially requiring a dosage increase; increased seizure frequency can occur.
May increase the risk for folate deficiency.
May increase the risk for folate deficiency.
May increase the risk for folate deficiency.
May increase the risk for folate deficiency.
Monitorización
- Serum folate and cobalamin levels (before and after treatment)
- Clinical signs associated with deficiency (e.g., chronic diarrhea, weight loss)
- CBC (baseline and ongoing if abnormal, to monitor for anemia)
Farmacocinética
Absorción
Primarily absorbed in the proximal small intestine via carrier-mediated diffusion. Synthetic folic acid is nearly completely absorbed after oral administration, while folate in foodstuffs is about 50% bioavailable.
Distribución
Distributed widely throughout the body and stored in the liver. Erythrocyte and CSF levels can be significantly higher than serum levels. Undergoes enterohepatic recirculation.
Metabolismo
Converted to its active form, tetrahydrofolic acid, principally in the liver and plasma.
Eliminación
Excreted primarily in the urine either as metabolites or unchanged drug (when administered in excess of body requirements).
Sobredosis
Folic acid is relatively non-toxic.
If an inadvertent overdose occurs, no specific treatment should be required. Excess drug is rapidly metabolized or excreted unchanged in the urine.
Productos disponibles
Formulaciones
- Tablets
- Injection
Veterinario
- None as sole ingredient products. (Available in various multivitamin combinations)
Etiquetado para humanos
- Folic Acid Tablets: 0.4 mg, 0.8 mg (OTC); 1 mg, 7.5 mg, 15 mg (Rx)
- Deplin® (Pamlab)
- Folic Acid Injection: 5 mg/mL in 10 mL vials (Folvite®, generic) (Rx)
Estado regulador
Sin datos reguladores para: 🇺🇸 US · 🇪🇺 EU · 🇬🇧 UK · 🇭🇰 HK · 🇹🇼 TW · 🇯🇵 JP · 🇰🇷 KR · 🇦🇺 AU
Almacenamiento y estabilidad
Store tablets in well-closed containers below 40°C (104°F), preferably between 15-30°C; protect from light and moisture. Store injection protected from light below 40°C (104°F); do not freeze.
Información para el cliente
- Propósito: El ácido fólico es una vitamina B utilizada para tratar deficiencias causadas a menudo por enfermedades intestinales crónicas, problemas pancreáticos o el uso prolongado de ciertos antibióticos.
- Seguridad: Es un suplemento muy seguro. Debido a que es hidrosoluble, el cuerpo elimina fácilmente cualquier exceso a través de la orina.
- Administración: Puede administrarse con o sin comida. Siga cuidadosamente las instrucciones de su veterinario.
- Cuidados a largo plazo: Si su mascota padece una enfermedad intestinal crónica o insuficiencia pancreática, es posible que se requiera un control de por vida de los niveles de vitaminas y una terapia de reemplazo periódica para mantener su salud.
La referencia de medicamentos de VetSheet está destinada a profesionales veterinarios autorizados como ayuda para la toma de decisiones clínicas, no como sustituto del criterio profesional ni del prospecto actual del fabricante.