Homocysteine, vitamins-B and atherosclerotic disease

Abstract

Homocysteine is a sulfur containing amino acid metabolized either through transulfuration to cysteine via cystathionine or through remethylation to methionine. Homocysteine is now lorcwn as an independent risk factor for piemature vascular disease due to its vasculotoxic and thrombogenic property. The etiologt of hyperhomocysteinemia is muttifaitorià1, but generally is caused by inhibition of one or both pathways, due to coenzyme(s) deficiency. These coenzymes are required for its metibolism, ie. vitamin B6, B12, and folic acid. Hyperhomocysteinemia can be efectively recovered by suppiementation of those three vitamins.