Introduction: Silymarine extract is currently prescribed by some physicians for treatment of fatty liver disease. In the present study, the effect of administration of tablet containing silymarine extract on plasma homocysteine (Hcy), folate, vitamin B12 and liver enzymes activity in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) was investigated. Materials and Methods: Seventy-four patients (40 female a...

In Burkina Faso, the levels of plasma homocysteine (Hcy) are lower and the methionine loading tests suggest a more effective Hcy metabolism [1,2]. We found a relevant difference in the allele frequencies of C677T: T 7.7% in the young and 3.3% in old subjects respectively (see Table 1). Frequencies of C677T genotypes in old and young individuals were in Hardy Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). The diff...

Introduction: High levels of homocysteine (Hcy) might accelerate dopaminergic cell death through oxidative stress and excitotoxicity. Folate plays an important role in the control of plasma levels of Hcy. In this study, effect of supplementation with folic acid on the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced Parkinsonism in rat and also serum level of Hcy was investigated. Methods: Rats were fed ...

Elevated plasma homocysteine (Hcy) is one of the suggested risk factors for endothelial dysfunction. There is evidence of association between raised plasma Hcy and an increased risk of developing peripheral arterial disease. A causal relationship, however, has not been established. In this report, a 37-year old male patient with the complaints of intermittent hand pain is presented. Brachial ar...

A model system is presented using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to investigate the role of homocysteine (Hcy) in atherosclerosis. HUVECs are shown to export Hcy at a rate determined by the flux through the methionine/Hcy pathway. Additional methionine increases intracellular methionine, decreases intracellular folate, and increases Hcy export, whereas additional folate inhibit...

BACKGROUND Stroke is an increasing problem in Ghana and the West African sub-region. New and modifiable risk factors for stroke have gained prominence in the last decade but have not been adequately researched in West Africa. METHOD This was a case-control study with plasma Homocysteine (Hcy) as an independent risk factor for stroke. 80 consecutive stroke patients with 80 age-sex matched cont...

High plasma homocysteine (hcy) concentrations may be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Folic acid supplementation reduces plasma hcy, however no studies used fortified foods and nutrition education to promote a sustained diet change. The effects of nutrition education and fortified cereal consumption on plasma hcy were studied in 41 men 58 years old. Subjects randomized int...

A fluorescence ratiometric probe 1 for cysteine (Cys) and homocysteine (Hcy) has been rationally constructed based on intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) mechanism. Upon treatment with Cys/Hcy, probe 1 exhibited a fluorescence ratiometric response, with the emission wavelength displaying a large shift (from 526 nm to 446 nm). When 90 μM Cys were added, the emission ratios (I446/I526) of the pr...

In Escherichia coli the sulfur-containing amino acid homocysteine (Hcy) is the last intermediate on the methionine biosynthetic pathway. Supplementation of a glucose-based minimal medium with Hcy at concentrations greater than 0.2 mM causes the growth of E. coli Frag1 to be inhibited. Supplementation of Hcy-treated cultures with combinations of branched-chain amino acids containing isoleucine o...

Betaine is the substrate of the liver- and kidney-specific betaine-homocysteine (Hcy) methyltransferase (BHMT), an alternate pathway for Hcy remethylation. We hypothesized that BHMT is a major pathway for homocysteine removal in cases of hyperhomocysteinaemia (HHcy). Therefore, we measured betaine in plasma and tissues from patients and animal models of HHcy of genetic and acquired cause. Plasm...