From the Guidelines
Leukovirdin is not a recognized medication, drug, or established medical term in current medical practice, and it appears to be a fictional or mistyped name. If you're looking for information about medications that sound similar, you might be referring to leucovorin (folinic acid), which is used as a rescue agent after high-dose methotrexate therapy, to treat folate deficiency, or as part of certain chemotherapy regimens, as seen in the study 1. Alternatively, you could be referring to leukotrienes, which are inflammatory mediators involved in conditions like asthma, or leukocytes, which are white blood cells important in immune function. Without additional context about what specific medical condition or treatment you're inquiring about, I cannot provide more specific information. Some chemotherapy regimens that include leucovorin are outlined in studies 1, 1, and 1, which provide guidance on the use of leucovorin in combination with other medications for the treatment of certain types of cancer. If you're seeking medical advice about a particular medication or treatment, I recommend consulting with a healthcare provider for accurate guidance tailored to your specific situation.
From the FDA Drug Label
Tetrahydrofolic acid is linked in the N5 or N10 positions with formyl, hydroxymethyl, methyl, or formimino groups. N5-formyltetrahydrofolic acid is leucovorin. The FDA drug label mentions that leucovorin is another name for N5-formyltetrahydrofolic acid, a derivative of tetrahydrofolic acid, which is a form of folate.
- Leucovorin is equivalent to folinic acid. Key points about leucovorin include:
- It is a form of folate
- It is used to treat or prevent low blood levels of folate 2
From the Research
Leukovirdin (Folinic Acid) Overview
- Leukovirdin, also known as folinic acid, is used to prevent toxicity and side effects associated with high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) therapy 3, 4.
- It is highly beneficial in preventing myelosuppression, gastric toxicity, and neurotoxic effects after HD-MTX therapy 3.
- Folinic acid supplementation can reduce the incidence of hepatotoxicity and gastrointestinal side-effects of methotrexate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) 5, 6.
Mechanism of Action and Dosage
- Leucovorin rescue is a cornerstone for toxicity prevention in HD-MTX treatment, and its dose adjustment is crucial to prevent overrescue 4.
- Various methods for calculating leucovorin doses have been proposed, including empirical calculations based on MTX plasma concentration and the Bleyer nomogram 4.
- The optimal dosage regimen for leucovorin rescue in various tumors using HD-MTX is still a topic of debate and requires further studies 4.
Efficacy and Safety
- Folate supplementation, including leucovorin, can reduce patient withdrawal from methotrexate treatment due to toxicity 5, 7, 6.
- Leucovorin supplementation has been shown to reduce the frequency of side effects, such as elevated liver enzyme levels, without affecting the efficacy of methotrexate in patients with RA 5, 7.
- High-dose folate (≥25 mg per week) and low-dose folate (≤10 mg per week) have been compared, and no significant difference was found in terms of methotrexate efficacy or toxicity 6.