Abstract
In the last 10 years, homocysteine has been regarded as a marker of cardiovascular disease and a definite risk factor for many other diseases. Homocysteine is biosynthesized from methionine through multiple steps and then goes through one of two major metabolic pathways: remethylation and transsulfuration. Hyperhomocysteinemia is a state in which too much homocysteine is present in the body. The main cause of hyperhomocysteinemia is a dysfunction of enzymes and cofactors associated with the process of homocysteine biosynthesis. Other causes include excessive methionine intake, certain diseases and side effects of some drugs. Hyperhomocysteinemia is a trigger for many diseases, such as atherosclerosis, congestive heart failure, age-related macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s disease and hearing loss. There are many studies showing a positive relationship between homocysteine level and various symptoms. We speculate that a high level of homocysteine can be the sole reason or an aggravating factor in numerous diseases for which causal links are not fully understood.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 372-383 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Archives of Pharmacal Research |
| Volume | 41 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1 Apr 2018 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Acknowledgements This study was supported by a Grant of the Korean Health Technology R&D Project, Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (HI14C2469).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, The Pharmaceutical Society of Korea.
Keywords
- Disease caused by hyperhomocysteinemia
- Homocysteine
- Hyperhomocysteinemia