folic acid vs methotrexate
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Side-by-side comparison of folic acid and methotrexate. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
Folic Acid Coadministration of methotrexate with folic acid or its derivatives decreases the clinical effectiveness of methotrexate in patients with neoplastic diseases.
Folvite
Trexall, Otrexup
Integra FTM is a medicine that helps treat iron and folate deficiencies. It is also used during pregnancy to prevent and treat iron deficiency and provide folic acid.
Methotrexate is a drug that can treat certain cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and other conditions. It works by slowing the growth of cells in the body.
Integra FTM treats iron deficiency anemia and folate deficiency anemia. It is also used during pregnancy to prevent and treat iron deficiency. This medicine also provides a maintenance dosage of folic acid during pregnancy.
Methotrexate can treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a type of cancer, in adults and children. It also treats mycosis fungoides, a skin lymphoma, in adults. Additionally, it treats relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma in adults. For non-cancer conditions, it treats rheumatoid arthritis in adults, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) in children, and severe psoriasis in adults.
Integra FTM contains two types of iron that your body can use. These iron types help to increase the amount of iron in your blood. Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps your body make new blood cells.
Methotrexate blocks an enzyme called dihydrofolate reductase. This enzyme is needed for cells to grow and multiply. By blocking this enzyme, methotrexate slows down the growth of cells, especially cancer cells and cells that cause inflammation in arthritis and psoriasis.
- • Upset stomach
- • Nausea
- • Diarrhea
- • Constipation
- • Heartburn
- • Mouth sores
- • Nausea
- • Abdominal pain
- • Changes in liver tests
- Fatigue 23,332
- Pain 23,054
- Arthralgia 19,495
- Rheumatoid Arthritis 17,528
- Nausea 15,633
- Rheumatoid Arthritis 38,053
- Arthralgia 36,283
- Pain 35,413
- Fatigue 29,061
- Nausea 24,009
Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in young children. Keep this medicine away from children. If someone overdoses, call a doctor or poison control center right away. Folic acid alone is not the right treatment for pernicious anemia or other megaloblastic anemias where Vitamin B12 is lacking.
Methotrexate can cause serious harm to an unborn baby, including death. If you are pregnant, you should not take this medicine for non-cancer conditions. If you are taking it for cancer, talk to your doctor about the risks. This medicine can also cause severe allergic reactions and other serious side effects that can be life-threatening. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any signs of infection, lung problems, or kidney problems.
Integra FTM can be used during pregnancy to prevent and treat iron deficiency and to provide folic acid. Talk to your doctor before taking this medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Methotrexate can cause birth defects or fetal death if taken during pregnancy for non-cancer conditions. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, talk to your doctor. Do not breastfeed while taking methotrexate, as it can pass into breast milk and harm your baby.
Also Compare, Nearby Drugs
Compare methotrexate with
How to Read This folic acid vs methotrexate Comparison
folic acid is classified in the B Vitamin (Folate) Supplement drug class, while methotrexate sits within the Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug (DMARD) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are split between OTC and prescription status, which affects access and supervision.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, folic acid has 99,042 submissions while methotrexate has 162,819. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to folic acid can interfere with how methotrexate works to treat cancer, making the medication less effective.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for folic acid or methotrexate.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.