B12 cofactor
Vitamin B12 cofactor
- Required cofactor for methionine synthase and methylmalonyl-CoA mutase
- Deficiency → megaloblastic anemia and neurologic dysfunction (subacute combined degeneration)
- Neurologic damage can proceed without anemia; folate can mask the blood picture but not the nerves
Drugs with this mechanism (1)
- Cyanocobalamin — Vitamin B12 supplement; converted to active cobalamin forms.
Self-check
- Can B12-related neurologic damage occur without anemia?
Yes. - What can folate mask in B12 deficiency?
The blood abnormalities, not nerve damage.
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