folic acid

folic acid
Biochem.
a water-soluble vitamin that is converted to a coenzyme essential to purine and thymine biosynthesis: deficiency causes a form of anemia.
[1940-45]

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Organic compound essential to animal growth and health and needed by bacteria as a growth factor.

Part of the vitamin B complex, folic acid is necessary for synthesis of nucleic acids and formation of the heme component of hemoglobin in red blood cells. To prevent neural tube defects in babies, it should ideally be taken by women starting at least a month before conception. Dietary folate sources include leafy and dark green vegetables, citrus fruits, cereals, beans, poultry, and egg yolks, but free folic acid is available only in supplements. Low intake leads to folic acid deficiency anemia.

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also called  pteroylglutamic acid ,  folate , or  folacin 

      water-soluble vitamin of the B complex that is essential in animals and plants for the synthesis of nucleic acids. Folic acid was isolated from liver cells in 1943.

      The vitamin has a wide variety of sources in the human diet, including leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, cereals, beans, poultry, and egg yolks. A deficient intake of folic acid can impair the formation of red blood cells, resulting in folic acid deficiency anemia. Folic acid deficiency anemia may be a result of malabsorption disorders such as celiac disease and tropical sprue. Pregnant women with an insufficient intake of folic acid are more likely to give birth prematurely or to deliver babies with low birth weight or with neural tube defects. The sulfa drugs achieve their antimicrobial effects by interfering with the production of folic acid within bacteria.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Folic acid — Folic acid …   Wikipedia

  • folic acid — folic acid. См. фолиевая кислота. (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

  • folic acid — ► NOUN ▪ a vitamin of the B complex found especially in leafy green vegetables, liver, and kidney. DERIVATIVES folate noun. ORIGIN from Latin folium leaf …   English terms dictionary

  • folic acid — [fō′lik] n. [< L folium, a leaf (see FOLIATE) + IC] a crystalline substance, C19H19N7O6, found in green leaves and in certain other plant and animal tissues, exhibiting vitamin B activity: used in medicine, esp. for treating certain anemias …   English World dictionary

  • Folic acid — One of the B vitamins that is a key factor in the synthesis (the making) of nucleic acid (DNA and RNA). A deficiency of folic acid after birth causes a kind of anemia, namely, megaloblastic anemia in which there is a paucity of red blood cells… …   Medical dictionary

  • folic acid — pteroylglutamic acid a B vitamin that is important in the synthesis of nucleic acids. The metabolic role of folic acid is interdependent with that of vitamin B 12 (both are required by rapidly dividing cells) and a deficiency of one may lead to… …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • folic acid — n. a vitamin of the B complex, found in leafy green vegetables, liver, and kidney, a deficiency of which causes pernicious anaemia. Also called FOLACIN or PTEROYLGLUTAMIC ACID. Etymology: L folium leaf (because found esp. in green leaves) + IC *… …   Useful english dictionary

  • folic acid — vitamin Bc vitamin Bc n. a B vitamin that is essential for cell growth and reproduction. Also called {folic acid} Syn: vitamin M, folic acid, folacin, pteroylglutamic acid, pteroylmonoglutamic acid. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • folic acid — [[t]foʊlɪkæ̱sɪd[/t]] N UNCOUNT Folic acid is one of the B group of vitamins. It is found in green vegetables and fruit …   English dictionary

  • folic acid — folio rūgštis statusas T sritis chemija formulė C₁₉H₁₉N₇O₆ atitikmenys: angl. folic acid; vitamin B₉; vitamin B rus. витамин B₉; витамин B; фолиевая кислота ryšiai: sinonimas – N {4 [(2 amino 4 hidroksi 6… …   Chemijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

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