Dihydrofolic acid

Dihydrofolic acid is a folic acid derivative acted upon by dihydrofolate reductase to produce tetrahydrofolic acid. Since tetrahydrofolate is needed to make both purines and pyrimidines, dihydrofolate reductase is targeted by various drugs to prevent nucleic acid synthesis. Dihydrofolic acid is also known by the name dihydrofolate - more commonly vitamin B9.