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Name: Leucovorin calcium

Pregnancy Category C

Drug classes

Folic acid derivative

Therapeutic actions

Active reduced form of folic acid; required for nucleoprotein synthesis and maintenance of normal erythropoiesis.

Indications

"Leucovorin rescue"-after high-dose methotrexate therapy in osteosarcoma

Treatment of megaloblastic anemias due to sprue, nutritional deficiency, pregnancy, and infancy when oral folic acid therapy is not feasible-parenteral form

With 5-fluorouracil for palliative treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer

Contraindications/cautions

Allergy to leucovorin on previous exposure, pernicious anemia or other megaloblastic anemias in which vitamin B12 is deficient, lactation

Adverse effects

Hypersensitivity: Allergic reactions
Local: Pain and discomfort at injection site

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