Calcium Folinate is an anticancer drug that belongs to the category of medicines known as detoxifying agents. It was approved by the U.S FDA in 2002 to treat megaloblastic anaemia.

Calcium Folinate are the detoxifying agents used in the treatment Megaloblastic Anaemia, Overdose of Folic Acid Antagonists, and also reduce the toxicity of methotrexate.

The medicine will be administered to you by a healthcare professional in a hospital setting. This injection will be given slowly into a vein (as an injection or infusion) or it may be injected into a muscle. Do not self-administer this medicine. The dose of the injection will be decided by your doctor based on your disease condition and other factors. 

The common side effects of Calcium Folinate  are nausea, vomiting, severe diarrhoea, redness, swelling in palms of hands and soles of feet. Other serious side effects include reduced number of blood cells, inflammation in the lining of mouth and intestine, and severe allergic reactions. Inform your physician if you face any of the symptoms.

This drug is contraindicated in patients who have hypersensitivity reactions. This medicine may cause allergic reactions in some people. Symptoms of an allergic reaction include itching, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or throat, and a rapid heartbeat. If you experience any of these symptoms, consult your doctor immediately. Excessive calcium folinate doses must be avoided since this might impair the antitumor activity of methotrexate, especially in CNS tumours where calcium folinate accumulates after repeated courses. 

There are no indications that folic acid induces harmful effects if administered during pregnancy and it is not known whether calcium folinate can cause foetal harm, when administered to pregnant women. Calcium folinate should be used during pregnancy only when clearly needed. During pregnancy, methotrexate should only be administered on strict indications, where the benefits of the drug to the mother should be weighed against possible hazards to the foetus. It is not known whether calcium folinate is excreted into human breast milk. Calcium folinate can be used during breast feeding when considered necessary according to the therapeutic indications.

Special care is needed if you are elderly and you are about to receive any fluorouracil treatment and Calcium Folinate at the same time in case you undergo radiotherapy or stomach trouble. Please tell your doctor if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription.

1. Hospira UK Ltd, Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC), [Revised on Feb 2021] [Accessed on 11th Apr 2023] https://www.medicines.org.uk/EMC/files/pil.1572.pdf
2. Pfizer Singapore, [11th Sep 2018] [Accessed on 11th Apr 2023] http://labeling.pfizer.com/ShowLabeling.aspx?id=12130
3. Package leaflet: Summary of the product characteristics for the user. www.hpra.ie.http://www.hpra.ie/img/uploaded/swedocuments/Licence_PA0749-001-001_01022022140623.pdf [Accessed on 11th Apr 2023]
4. Calcium folinate sandoz - medsafe. Available at: https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/Consumers/CMI/c/calciumFolinateSandoz.pdf [Accessed on 11th Apr 2023]

The drug information on this page is not a substitute for medical advice. It is meant for educational purposes only. For further details, consult your doctor about your medical condition to know if you can receive this treatment.