• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.963-970
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• 2005

Recently elevated plasma homocysteine concentration is considered an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis and thrombosis with coronary artery disease. Folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ are cofactors and closely related with metabolism of homocysteine. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the correlation between homocysteine and folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ in patients with ischemic heart disease. Twenty-six patients, in whom coronary angiographic finding revealed more than $50\%$ of stenosis at least in one coronary vessel were enrolled as the patient group, and thirty subjects, in whom angiographic finding revealed in not significant stenosis, but complained of chest pain, were selected as the control group. Fasting venous blood was obtained and measured the concentration of plasma total homocysteine, folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ by high performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection method. We examined the correlation between homocysteine and folate and/or vitamin $B_{12}$ in the control group and the patient group, respectively. Compared with the control group, the patient group had relatively higher plasma total homocysteine concentration ($10.7\pm4.2\;vs\;9.6\pm3.5$ umol/L), but showed no significant difference. Folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ concentration are low in the patient group, but showed no significant difference between patient and control group. Plasma total homocysteine concentration showed negative correlation with folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ in both the control group and the patient group, and showed significantly negative correlation in patient group {r = -0.550 (p < 0.01) vs r = -0.609 (p < 0.01)}. We knew that the plasma total homocysteine concentration were relatively elevated in patient group compared with the control group. Because plasma total homocysteine concentrations are closely negative correlated with folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ in the patient group, folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ supplement can lower the mortality and morbidity of ischemic heart disease. (Korean J Community Nutrition 10(6) : $963\∼970$, 2005)

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.161-164
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• 2007

Oxidative stress is prerequisite for the development of atherosclerosis. Apart from the traditional risk factors that contribute to this devastating condition, in the past few decades, much attention has been focused on plasma total homocysteine mainly because of its strong association with coronary artery disease. It has been suggested that homocysteine induces oxidative stress and hence the present work was undertaken to assess the total homocysteine status and plasma total antioxidant capacity in the acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients among Tamil population. The study subjects included only the Tamil population. Blood samples were collected from 100 AMI patients and 100 controls. Plasma was separated and the total antioxidant status was assessed as a measure of ferric reducing power of antioxidants using spectrophotometric method. Plasma total homocysteine concentrations were assessed by automated chemiluminescence method. While Total antioxidant status was significantly decreased, the plasma homocysteine concentrations were elevated in AMI patients compared to the controls. However, there was no correlation between the homocysteine levels and total antioxidant status. The findings of this study may have therapeutic implications, including food sources rich in antioxidants for all AMI patients to minimize the effect of free radicals formed during oxidative stress among Tamil population.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.250-256
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• 2000

Hyperhomocysteinemia has been shown to be associated with increased risks for macrovascular angiopathy. The present study was conducted to document the relationship between plasma homocysteine levels and the presence of macrovascular angiopath in patients with Type II diabetes mellitus. Plasma total homocysteine was determined by a HPLC-fluorescence detection method in a total of 238 subjects, 127 diabetic patients and 111 control. Dietary information including folate intake was assessed by a 24-hour recall in a total 113 subjects, 70 diabetic patients and 43 control. Folate intake was significantly lower inn patients with diabetes mellitus than that in the control. The lowered folate intake in the diabetic patients was mainly due to reduced intakes of fruits and vegetables. The average plasma homocysteine level of patients with MA was 14.2$\mu$㏖/L, which was significantly higher than that of either the patients without MA(11.4$\mu$㏖/L) or the control(11.5$\mu$㏖/L). Twenty five percent of the diabetic patients were positively correlated with age (r=0.20), body weight (r=0.28), body mass index (r=0.28), body mass index (r=0.18), diastolic blood pressure (r=0.20), and total cholesterol (r=0.14). cigarette smokers had significantly higher levels of plasma homocysteine than the non-smokers. Further prospective studies are needed to investigate whether folate or other B vitamin supplementation could be beneficial for the prevention of hyperhomocysteinemia or macrovascular angiopathy in the diabetic patients.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.193-200
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• 2011

Objectives: Blood lead and hyperhomocysteinemia have been found to be associated with cardiovascular disease. The objective of the present study was to assess the relationship of lead biomarkers on plasma homocysteine and blood pressure. Methods: To evaluate the effect of lead biomarkers including blood lead on plasma homocysteine and blood pressure in retired lead workers, 66 retired lead workers without any occupational exposure to organic solvent, mercury and arsenic were agreed to participate this study. For the control subjects 42 controls were recruited from same area of retired lead workers with consideration of demographic characteristics. Results: The mean levels of blood lead and ZPP of retired lead workers were significantly higher than control group. There were positive significant correlations between blood lead and plasma homocysteine, also systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The multiple linear regression analysis also reveled that plasma homocysteine was significantly associated with blood lead after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, lead exposure, smoking and drinking. Diastolic blood pressure was significantly associated with blood lead, plasma homocysteine, and total cholesterol; whereas, systolic blood pressure was significantly associated with plasma homocysteine only. Conclusions: Blood lead showed significant association with plasma homocysteine and blood pressure even after more than mean 10 years from their retirements.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.73-78
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• 2001

The elevation of total plasmahomocysteine is now an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Plasma folate and vitamin {TEX}$B_{12}${/TEX} influence Hcy metabolism as cofactors. In this study, we studied the relationship of major risk factors for cardovascular disease, including advanced age, male gender, obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and dislipidemia and plasma homocyteine, folate and vitamin {TEX}$B_{12}${/TEX} levels in Koreans. A total of 195 adult Koreans participated. The subjects were divided into three groups according to how many major conventional risk factors of cardiovascular disease they had: no risk, low risk (1~3 risk factors) and high risk (>3 risk factors) groups. As the number of risk factors increased, the plasma homocysteine levels significantly increase, while the plasma folate levels significantly decreased. The plasma homocysteine levels re higher in males than in females. The subjects with hyperglycemia had higher plasma homocysteine levels than the subjects without the risk factor. Also the subjects with dislipidemia had higher plasma homocysteine levels than the subjects without the risk factor. The plasma folate and vitamin {TEX}$B_{12}${/TEX} levels were significantly lower in males tan females. However, there were no significant differences in plasma folate and vitamin {TEX}$B_{12}${/TEX} levels between the subjects with or without other risk factors. These results indicate that plasma homocysteine levels were positively related with risk factors for cardiovascular disease and plasma folate levels were negatively related with the risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Also, we conclude that plasmahomocysteine levels might be related to the combination of risk factors, rather than an individual risk factor.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.22 no.2 s.57
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• pp.165-170
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• 2007

Elevation of homocysteine levels is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and liver diseases. It has been reported that both streptozotocin-induced type I diabetic rats and obese type II diabetic rats have plasma total homocysteine lower than each control rats. We determined the effects of lean type II diabetes on homocysteine levels using type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats. The concentrations of serum glucose were increased to ${\sim}two-fold$ of control levels and the total cholesterol levels were also increased in GK rats. Hepatic aspartate, histidine, threonine, alanine and methionine levels were significantly increased in GK rats. Plasma aspartate and glutamate levels were elevated, but threonine and arginine levels were decreased in GK rats. Plasma total homocysteine levels were not changed in GK rats, but hepatic total homocysteine levels were increased to ${\sim}three-fold$ of control levels. These results suggest that hepatic metabolism of sulfur-amino acid may be altered in diabetic condition.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.60-65
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• 1999

Chronic alcoholism often leads to folate deficiency. In recent years it has been reported that mild elevation of plasma homocysteine (Hcy) is associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease. In the present study we investigated the effects of chronic ethanol consumption on folate status and the relation between plasma folate and Hcy. A human study was conducted to determine plasma folate, total Hcy, cysteine(Cys), total cholesterol and hemoglobin(Hb) concentrations in 44 Korean alcoholics(men aged 30 to 50yr) and 45 Korean non-alcoholic subjects(men aged 30 to 50 yr). In alcoholic subjects, 52.6% were folate deficient and 34.2% were marginally deficient, which suggested that most alcoholics were subnormal in folate status. Plasma total Hcy concentration of alcoholics was twice as high as in control subjects (p<0.001). We found a negative correlation between plasma folate and plasma total Hcy(r=-0.271, p<0.05) and a positive correlation between plasma folate and plasma Cys(r=0.249, p<0.05) in total subjects. Hb concentrations in alcoholics was significantly lower than in control subjects, but there was no difference in total cholesterol concentration between alcoholics and controls. These results suggest that chronic alcohol consumption may impair the disposal of Hcy by interfering with folate metabolism.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.79-83
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• 2007

The present study was conducted to document the association between plasma homocysteine levels and the presence of macrovascular angiopathy with food and nutrient intake patterns among patients with Type II diabetes mellitus in Korea. Plasma total homocysteine concentration was analyzed by HPLC-fluorescence detector method in 127 patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Logistic regression analyses were performed respectively to study the association of plasma homocysteine levels with clinical and dietary characteristics and macroangiopathy (MA). The average plasma homocysteine level of patients with MA was $14.2{\mu}mol/l$, which was significantly higher than that of patients without MA ($11.4{\mu}mol/l$). The proportions of patients with MA showed a significant difference, being 32.3% in hyperhomocysteinemic ($>14.0{\mu}mol/l$) patients and 13.5% in others with homocysteine levels lower than $14.0{\mu}mol/l$. Odds ratios for macroangiopathy by tertile increase of plasma homocysteine concentration were 1.633 ($Q_2$) and 4.831 ($Q_3$), when adjusted for age, sex, and cigarette smoking. Patients with MA consumed reduced amounts of vitamin $B_1,\;B_2$, and folate. The results indicate that the plasma homocysteine levels are significantly increased in NIDDM patients who have macroangiopathy. Dietary management such as increased fruits and vegetables and decreased potatoes and starches might be beneficial for the prevention of macroangiopathy in diabetic patients.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2007

Homocysteine is a sulfur amino-acid produced during the metabolism of the essential amino acid methionine. Moderately increased plasma total homocysteine concentration have been implicated as a risk factor for occlusive vascular disease. Smoking is known to be one of the most significant factors leading to elevated plasma homocysteine concentration. However, the main component of a cigarette, nicotine has been not studied whether it is linked directly to the increase of homocysteine concentration in blood. The metabolism of homocysteine is closely linked to that of its cofactors, folate. Here, the effects of nicotine and folic acid on amount of plasma homocysteine were studied. The concentration of homocysteine was increased by about 70% in rat plasma after nicotine treatment for one month. This increased concentration of homocysteine was reduced by about 60% at 6 hours later after folate treatment. Thus, nicotine should be directly involved in increasing the concentration of plasma homocysteine. Also it is suggested that these results can be and applied and used for controlling withdrawal symptoms after stopping smoking as one of oriental medicine formulas.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.132-137
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• 2006

1. Objectives The purpose of this research is to find out the Constitutional difference between the amount of Plasma Homocysteine, Total cholesterol, and Triglyceride which are factor of Cerebrovascular disease. 2. Methods We enrolled 132 patients inexperienced Strokes who visited our hospital for a medical examination from April 26, 2004 to June 29, 2005 except patients whose body constitusions were undetermined according to QSCOII. This research investigated the Constitutional difference between the amount of Plasma Homocysteine, Total cholesterol and Triglyceride. 3. Results & Conclusions This research has shown that there is a statistical significance between the average amount of Plasma Homocystein level that is higher in Taeumin. But there is no significant difference between the average amount of Total Cholestrol and Triglyceride in Sasang Constitution.