Clinical Pharmacology: Iron is an essential component in the formation of hemoglobin. Adequate amounts of iron are necessary for effective erthropoiesis. Iron also serves as a cofactor of several essential enzymes, including cytochromes that are involved in electron transport.
Folic acid is required for nucleoprotein synthesis and the maintenance of normal erthropoiesis. Folic acid is converted in the liver and plasma to its metabolically active form, tetrahydrofolic acid, by dihydrofolate reductase.
Vitamin B12 is required for the maintenance of normal erthropoiesis, nucleprotein and myelin synthesis, cell reproduction and normal growth. Intrinsic factor, a glycoprotein secreted by the gastric mucosa, is required for active absorption of Vitamin B12 from the gastrointestinal tract.