Plasma homocysteine and liver tissue S-adenosylmethionine, S-adenosylhomocysteine status in vitamin B6-deficient rats.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate plasma homocysteine (Hcy), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) levels, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities and liver tissue S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) levels in control and vitamin B6-deficient rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty-two male rats with a weight of 65-75 g were used for the experiment. The rats were divided into control (n=16) and vitamin B6-deficient groups. At the end of the experiment, the animals were anesthetized with ketamine-HCl (Ketalar, 20 mg/kg, i.p.), and the blood was collected by cardiac puncture after thoracotomy. Plasma Hcy, pyridoxal phosphate (PLP), liver SAM, SAH levels measured by an isocratic system with high performance liquid chromatography. Plasma GSH-Px, GSH activities and GSH, MDA levels were carried out using a spectrophotometer. RESULTS Plasma Hcy, MDA, liver tissue SAH levels were significantly increased, whereas plasma GSH, PLP, liver tissue SAM levels, plasma GST, GSH-Px activities and SAM/SAH ratio were decreased compared to those of control group. CONCLUSIONS Vitamin B6 deficiency causes an increase in plasma homocysteine levels. Thus, we think that vitamin B6 supplementation could be used for therapeutic purposes in hyperhomocysteinemia condition.