Folate

= Folic acid = From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Folic Acid is an essential nutrient during pregnancy.
 * Folic Acid** (also known as **vitamin B9** **vitamin Bc**  or **folacin**) and **folate** (the form naturally occurring in the body), as well as **pteroyl-[|L-glutamic acid]**, **pteroyl-[|L-glutamate]**, and **pteroylmonoglutamic acid[|[][|5][|]]** are [|forms] of the [|water-soluble] [|vitamin B9].

Many cancer cells have a high requirement for Folic acid || Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their [|standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)] || **Folic acid** (also known as **vitamin B9**, [|[3]] **vitamin Bc** [|[4]] or **folacin**) and **folate** (the form naturally occurring in the body), as well as **pteroyl- [|L-glutamic acid] **, **pteroyl- [|L-glutamate] **, and **pteroylmonoglutamic acid [|[5]] ** are [|forms] of the [|water-soluble] [|vitamin B9]. Folic acid is itself not biologically active, but its biological importance is due to [|tetrahydrofolate] and other derivatives after its conversion from [|dihydrofolic acid] in the liver. [|[6]] Vitamin B9 (folic acid and folate inclusive) is [|essential] to numerous [|bodily functions]. The human body needs folate to synthesize DNA, repair DNA, and methylate DNA as well as to act as a cofactor in biological reactions involving folate. [|[7]] It is especially important in aiding rapid [|cell division] and [|growth], such as in infancy and pregnancy. [|Children] and [|adults] both require folic acid to [|produce] healthy [|red blood cells] and prevent [|anemia]. [|[8]] Folate and folic acid derive their names from the [|Latin] word // [|folium] // (which means "leaf"). Leafy vegetables are a principal source, although in Western diets fortified cereals and bread may be a larger dietary source.[// [|citation needed] //] A lack of [|dietary] folic acid leads to [|folate deficiency], which is uncommon in normal Western diets.[// [|citation needed] //] A complete lack of dietary folate takes months before deficiency develops as normal individuals have about 500–20,000 µg [|[9]] of folate in body stores. [|[10]] This deficiency can result in many health problems, the most notable one being [|neural tube defects] in developing embryos. Common symptoms of folate deficiency include diarrhea, macrocytic anemia with weakness or shortness of breath, nerve damage with weakness and limb numbness ( [|peripheral neuropathy] )[// [|citation needed] //], pregnancy complications, mental confusion, forgetfulness or other cognitive declines, mental depression, sore or swollen tongue, peptic or mouth ulcers, headaches, heart palpitations, irritability, and behavioral disorders. Low levels of folate can also lead to homocysteine accumulation. [|[7]] DNA synthesis and repair are impaired and this could lead to cancer development. [|[7]]
 * ~ Folic acid ||
 * [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Folic_acid_%282%29.svg/150px-Folic_acid_%282%29.svg.png width="150" height="126" link="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Folic_acid_%282%29.svg"]] ||
 * [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Folic_Acid_SFM.png/150px-Folic_Acid_SFM.png width="150" height="82" link="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Folic_Acid_SFM.png"]] ||
 * [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/Folic_acid_crystals.jpg/150px-Folic_acid_crystals.jpg width="150" height="200" link="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Folic_acid_crystals.jpg"]]
 * [|IUPAC name] (2//S//)-2-[(4-{[(2-amino-4-hydroxypteridin-6-yl)methyl]amino}phenyl)formamido]pentanedioic acid ||
 * Other names//N//-​(4-​{[(2-​amino-​4-​oxo-​1,​4-​dihydropteridin-​6-​yl)​methyl]​amino}​benzoyl)-​ L -​glutamic acid; pteroyl-L-glutamic acid; Vitamin B9; Vitamin Bc; Folacin ||
 * ~ Identifiers ||
 * [|CAS number] || [|59-30-3]  [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fb/Yes_check.svg/7px-Yes_check.svg.png width="7" height="7" caption="Yes"]] ||
 * [|PubChem] || [|6037]  ||
 * [|ChemSpider] || [|5815]  [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fb/Yes_check.svg/7px-Yes_check.svg.png width="7" height="7" caption="Yes"]] ||
 * [|UNII] || [|935E97BOY8]  [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fb/Yes_check.svg/7px-Yes_check.svg.png width="7" height="7" caption="Yes"]] ||
 * [|DrugBank] || [|DB00158]  ||
 * [|KEGG] || [|C00504]  [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/X_mark.svg/7px-X_mark.svg.png width="7" height="8"]] ||
 * [|ChEBI] || [|CHEBI:27470]  [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fb/Yes_check.svg/7px-Yes_check.svg.png width="7" height="7" caption="Yes"]] ||
 * [|ChEMBL] || [|CHEMBL1622]  [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fb/Yes_check.svg/7px-Yes_check.svg.png width="7" height="7" caption="Yes"]] ||
 * [|RTECS number] || LP5425000 ||
 * [|ATC code] || [|B03] [|BB01]  ||
 * [|Jmol] -3D images || [|Image 1] ||
 * [|SMILES] ||
 * [|InChI] ||
 * ~ Properties ||
 * [|Molecular formula] || C19H19N7O6 ||
 * [|Molar mass] || 441.4 g mol−1 ||
 * Appearance || yellow-orange crystalline powder ||
 * [|Melting point] || 250 °C (523 K), [|decomp.][|[1]] ||
 * [|Solubility] in [|water] || 1.6 mg/L (25 °C) [|[1]] ||
 * [|Acidity] (p//K//a) || 1st: 4.65, 2nd: 6.75, 3rd: 9.00 [|[2]] ||
 * = [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/X_mark.svg/14px-X_mark.svg.png width="14" height="16"]] [|(verify)]  [|(what is:] [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fb/Yes_check.svg/10px-Yes_check.svg.png width="10" height="10" caption="Yes"]]/[[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/X_mark.svg/10px-X_mark.svg.png width="10" height="11"]]?)
 * = [|Infobox references] ||