title: Fatal Folic Acid Toxicity in Humans.
abstract: Folic acid is B-9 vitamin. Folic acid is prescribed commonly for pregnant women to prevent neural tube defects in the fetus, patients under chemotherapy, pernicious anemia and to reduce the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease. Acute or chronic ingestion of a large dose of folic acid generally manifests as neurological complications, which are reversible. In this present case, a 23-year-old pregnant woman committed suicide by consuming folic acid tablets and succumbed to death within 36 h. Postmortem toxicological analysis detected folic acid in viscera. Death following acute consumption of folic acid is rare and has been not reported in the literature, to the best of our knowledge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, 605006, India.
authors.forename: Gerard Pradeep
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Devnath
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, 605006, India.
authors.forename: Senthil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumaran
authors.affiliation: Scientific Officer, Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (Villupuram), 605602, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rajiv
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, 605006, India.
authors.forename: Kusa Kumar
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Shaha
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, 605006, India.
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagaraj
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000737:chemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D011247:Pregnancy; D013270:Stomach / Q000737:chemistry; D013405:Suicide; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D005492:Folic Acid
keywords: folic acid; forensic science; histopathology; pregnant woman; suicide; toxicological analysis