Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Tetrahydrofolic acid
Introduction
Metabolism
Metabolism
It is produced from dihydrofolic acid by dihydrofolate reductase. This reaction is inhibited by trimethoprim.
It is converted into 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate by serine hydroxymethyltransferase.
Functions
Functions
It is a coenzyme in many reactions, especially in the metabolism of amino acids and nucleic acids. It acts as a donor of a group with one carbon atom. It gets this carbon atom by sequestering formaldehyde produced in other processes. A shortage in THF can cause anemia.
Editor-In-Chief: Template:Chembox new C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]