Folic acid

FOLIC ACID

FOLIC ACID (Pteroglutamic acid)

Sources - Yeast , greens

  • All animals except pig are able to synthesise the vitamins in intestine

Functions

  • Active form is tetra hydro folic acid (FH4)
  • FH4 is important in the metabolism of amino acids
  • Purine and pyrimidine nucleotide synthesis
  • Nucleic acid synthesis and metabolism
  • Essential for cell proliferation
  • Especially haemopoietic system is very sensitive
  • In poultry, along with lysine, folic acid is required for pigmentation of feathers

Deficiency

  • Macrocytic aneamia (Sprue – pernicious anaemia)
  • Agranulocytosis
  • Leucopenia
  • Megaloblast – cytological changes in bone marrow
  • Essential for growth, food utilization, epidermal tissue maintenance, bone development reproduction
  • Poultry
    • Due to sulphonamide therapy
    • Macrocytic megaloblastic anemia
    • Retarded growth
    • Defective feather development/ poor pigmentation
    • Leg deformities – chondrodystrophy
    • Turkeys – cervical deformity
    • Layers –Reduced egg production ; reduced hatchability; deformities in embroyos
  • Humans
    • Increased usage of contraceptives , anti – malarials, anticonvulsantscauses reduced availability of folic acid
Last modified: Thursday, 22 March 2012, 8:55 AM