Folina Dosage/Direction for Use

Adults and Children: Calcium Folinate Rescue: Calcium Folinate may be used in conjunction with folic acid antagonists, e.g. methotrexate, to reduce their systemic toxicity. It is given 12 to 24 hours after the antineoplastic drug. Doses of up to 120 mg may be given over 12 to 24 hours by intramuscular injection or intravenous injection or infusion, followed by 12 to 15 mg intramuscularly, or 15 mg orally, every 6 hours for the next 48 hours. With lower doses of methotrexate, folinate 15 mg orally every 6 hours for 48 to 72 hours may be sufficient.
Treatment should be accompanied by alkalinisation of urine with maintenance of urinary output at 2000 ml/m²/24 hours and should be continued until plasma methotrexate is less than 10-7 molar (see Warnings).
Treatment of Megaloblastic Anaemia: The dose should not exceed 1 mg daily given intramuscularly. When given orally, the recommended dosage is one Calcium Folinate Tablet (15 mg) daily.
Children up to 12 years: 0.25 mg/kg/day.
Normal adult oral dosage: 10-20 mg daily.
Treatment of Overdosage of Folic Acid Antagonists: In cases of overdosage of folic acid antagonists, Calcium Folinate may be administered by intravenous infusion in doses of up to 75 mg within 12 hours, followed by 12 mg intramuscularly every 6 hours for 4 doses.
In general, where overdosage is suspected, the dose of Calcium Folinate should be equal to or greater than the offending dose of the folic acid antagonist administered, and should be given as soon as possible; preferably within the first hour and certainly within 4 hours after which it may not be effective.
Although Calcium Folinate may also be available as a solution for injection, Calcium Folinate should not be administered intrathecally.