• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.483-490
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 50% ethanol extracts of ripe black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis, RBR) on hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The final systolic blood pressure of the group treated with RBR for 12 weeks was significantly lower than that of the SHR group. The mRNA expression level of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) was significantly decreased in SHR. However, treatment with RBR and captopril increased the level of eNOS mRNA in SHR. Moreover, plasma levels of homocysteine and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 were significantly reduced by RBR. Plasma total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were lower in SHR than Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). However, there was no significant difference in plasma triglyceride level between WKY and SHR. The number of eosinophilic cardiac muscle cells was reduced in heart muscles after treatment with captopril and RBR. Therefore, this study suggests that RBR extracts may be useful for improvement of hypertension.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.211-218
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• 2005

Elevated homocysteine concentration is known to be related to placental abruption, spontaneous abortion, and many adverse pregnancy outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of folic acid supplementation ($1000{\cal}ug$ per day) and 5, 10 methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism genotype on serum homocysteine and B vitamin levels in 50 infertile women ($31.2{\pm}3.2\;years$). Blood sampling was performed at baseline and at the end of folic acid supplementation period. In infertile women, serum folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ concentrations were significantly higher in post-supplementation than those in pre-supplementation. Serum homocysteine concentration was significantly lower in post-supplementation than that in pre-supplementation. However, serum homocysteine levels were still higher in the T/T genotype than those in the C/C or C/T even after folic acid supplementation. Serum homo-cysteine was inversely related to serum folate in T/T homozygotes at baseline and at the end of folic acid supplementation. These results suggest that folic acid supplementation is needed for infertile women to improve their vitamin status and also to reduce the risk of hyperhomocysteinemia. These effects were different according to their MTHFR C677T genotypes. Therefore, further studies are necessary to determine the optimal level of supplementation of folic acid by MTHFR genotypes.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.736-742
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to determine the homocysteine (Hey), methionine (Met) and cysteine (Cys) using solid phase micro-extraction (SPME)/gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry (MS) in human plasma and to correlate between the plasma concentration of homocysteine with coronary artery disease. The homocysteine, methionine and cysteine in blood can be used as biomarkers for the risk assessment of vascular disease. The plasma homocysteine level for the coronary artery disease patients was higher than general patients. The concentration ranges of the Hcy, Met and Cys for coronary artery disease patients were $18.47-33.38{\mu}mol/L$, $30.16-55.72{\mu}mol/L$ and $183.16-387.32{\mu}mol/L$, respectively. This method showed good sensitivity and convenience.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.441-445
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• 1999

Objective: To analyze the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) mutation in recurrent spontaneous abortion associated with hyperhomocysteinemia. Material and Method: The blood sample of habitual aborter with high fasting homocysteine level was tested by PCR - RFLP method. Results: The patient was found to be a homozygosity for MTHFR gene mutation that was confirmed by the finding which is consistent with the mutation at the nucleotide 677 C to T, corresponding to Ala to Val. Conclusions: Hyperhomocysteinemia due to MTHFR mutation is a cause of recurrent spontaneous abortion. Therefore, the MTHFR mutation should be examined in the workup of recurrent spontaneous abortion showing hyperhomocysteinemia.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.168-173
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• 2011

Objective: To examine the association between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism and hyperhomocysteinemia in women with unexplained recurrent miscarriages (RM) and to investigate the association between MTHFR genotype variants and alloimmune activation, proportion of peripheral blood natural killer (pbNK) cells. Methods: A total of 39 patients with a history of two or more unexplained miscarriages were recruited to this study. The controls were women who had a live birth without a history of RM (n=50). The proportion of pbNK cells was measured by flow cytometry. Plasma homocysteine levels and the incidence of the MTHFR variant of the RM and control groups were compared. The proportion of pbNK cells was compared to the MTHFR variants in the RM group. Results: No differences were found between the two groups' mean plasma homocysteine levels ($7.6{\pm}1.5{\mu}mol$/L vs. $7.1{\pm}2.1{\mu}mol$/L) or incidence of the MTHFR genotype variant (CC, 35% vs. 33%; CT, 40% vs. 53%; and TT, 25% vs. 14%). In the RM group, individuals with the TT variant ($7.7{\pm}1.1{\mu}mol$/L) had higher homocysteine levels than those with the CC and CT variants ($7.4{\pm}1.9{\mu}mol$/L and $7.4{\pm}1.2{\mu}mol$/L) and those with the CT variant ($19.2{\pm}8.1%$) had a higher proportion of CD3-/CD56+ pbNK cells than those with the CC and TT variants ($17.7{\pm}6.6%$ and $17.9{\pm}7.0%$), but the results of both comparisons were statistically insignificant. Conclusion: These preliminary results show no difference in plasma homocysteine levels between the RM and control groups or among MTHFR genotype variants in the RM group, which may suggest that the plasma homocysteine level is difficult to use as a predictive marker of RM in the Korean population. A study of a larger number of patients is needed.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.470-477
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of homocysteine and antioxidant nutrients with obesity in Korean middle aged women. The study subjects included were middle-aged obese women (n=36) whose body mass index (BMI) was greater than $25kg/m^2$. A total of 36 participants were randomly divided into two groups. They were assigned to either the Nutritional Management and Exercise (NME) program or the Exercise Management (EM) program, which were both conducted for 3 months. We measured serum homocysteine, total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels of the participant. We also measured the dietary intakes of antioxidant nutrient, cholesterol, body weight, body mass index, blood pressure, and $VO_2$. At the end of both programs, please confirm this change. It was unclear when these measurements were shown to have decreased. The body weight and BMI of NME group were decreased compared to those of EM group. The serum total cholesterol levels of the participants in NME group were significantly decreased, in contrast to EM group. Also, serum homocysteine levels of NME group participants were decreased compared to EM group, but the difference was not statistically significant. In the NME group, there were significant differences in the change of dietary cholesterol and vitamin C intake. These results showed that participating NME program will continuously promote the healthy status of the middle aged obese women, compared to participating only in the EM program.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.761-771
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• 2009

Objectives : The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between metabolic syndrome and erythrocyte deform ability in acute stroke patients. Methods : Among 88 of the recruited patients, 52 were diagnosed as metabolic syndrome. We assessed their general characteristics, risk factors. We compared the assessed variables between metabolic syndrome and control group. We analyzed the relationship between metabolic syndrome and erythrocyte deform ability. We analyzed relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and erythrocyte deformability. Results : The general characteristics waist and hip circumference, waist/hip ratio were higher in metabolic syndrome group. The metabolic syndrome group was also diagnosed with hypertension, DM, and hyperlipidemia more often than the control group. The blood test metabolic syndrome group showed higher triglycerides, total lipids, fasting blood sugar, and 2 hours postprandial plasma glucose level and lower HDL-cholesterol than the control group. There were more patients diagnosed with Dampness-Phlegm in the metabolic syndrome group. There were more patients showing lower erythrocyte deform ability in the metabolic syndrome group. The plasma homocysteine level was negatively correlated with erythrocyte deform ability. Conclusion : The results reconfirmed that the risk factors are more in metabolic syndrome group. The results indicated that metabolic syndrome lead to a lower erythrocyte deform ability in small vessel disease stroke patients. The Plasma homocysteine level was negatively correlated with erythrocyte deform ability.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.243-256
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• 2012

Objectives : This clinical study was done to examine metabolic syndrome (MS) and plasma homocysteine (HCY) level in patients with silent lacunar infarction (SLI) and in normal controls. Methods : A total of 154 patients, who were over 20 years of age and visited the stroke prevention check-up center of a university hospital from December 2006 to December 2010, were examined by brain CT or brain MRI, and classified into two groups. We compared the components of MS and HCY levels between patients with SLI (n=74) and normal controls (n=80). Modified ATP III definition was used for diagnosis of MS while Korean standard for waist circumference was used. Results : Prevalence of MS was significantly higher in the SLI group than the normal group. HCY was also significantly higher in the SLI group than the noraml, and the odds ratio (OR) for SLI, comparing high HCY level (${\geq}10{\mu}mol/L$) with low HCY level ($<10{\mu}mol/L$), was 3.64 (95% confidence interval (CI); 1.81-7.29, p<.0001). However, there was no correlation between MS and HCY in the SLI group. Prevalence of diabetes and hypertension (HT) was higher in the SLI group than the normal group, but there was no significant difference in blood lipids level between the SLI and normal groups. Of note, HT itself was enough to be an independent risk factor for SLI (OR; 4.58, 95% CI; 1.91-11.01, p=0.001). Body mass index, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio and visceral fat area were significantly higher in the SLI than normal group, and visceral fat area was enough to be an independent risk factor for SLI (OR; 2.41, 95% CI; 1.04-5.59, p=0.040). Conclusions : SLI is shown to have significant correlation with HCY and prevalence of MS, however there is no relationship between HCY and prevalence of MS in patients with SLI.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.294-303
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• 2017

As the elderly population increases, the prevalence of various geriatric chronic diseases and dementia diseases is also rapidly increasing; accordingly, dementia is becoming a major concern of our society. In this study, 48 elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment located in K district were selected from a group of experimental groups in one building and a control group in one building and evaluated for blood homocysteine levels and cognitive function changes after 4,8, and 12 weeks of taking vitamin supplements. The Chi-squared test, Fisher's Exact test, independent t-test, repeated measures ANOVA, contrast test, repeated measures ANCOVA, and Wilks' lambda test were utilized to analyze the data. The results revealed that the cognitive function of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group at 12 weeks (p<0.05), and so, the experimental group higher than that of the control group (p<0.01), the effect of taking vitamins was significantly increased, indicating that homocysteine was decreased relative to the control group. Therefore, vitamin supplements may prevent decreases in cognitive functions and dementia among elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.83-89
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• 2007

Effects of alkaline reduced water (ARW) on the scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and diabetes were recently reported. However, no studies have yet been investigated on general drinking effects. In this study, we examined 100 patients hospitalized for senile disease treatment and recuperation. All examines received the ARW for 2 months. WBC level was decreased from $6.34\pm1.9(\times10^9/L)$ to $5.66\pm1.7(\times10^9/L)$. SGPT level was decreased from 27.47$\pm$14 Ut to 23.95$\pm$8.8 U/L. Cholesterol level was increased from 167.9$\pm$32 mg/dl to 176.21$\pm$42 mg/dl within normal range. However, the levels of potassium, adiponectin, SGOT and blood pressure showed no significant difference. The levels of growth hormone and homocysteine and mini-mental state examination also showed no significant difference. We suppose that the slight blood parameter trends indicate an improved physical condition induced by the ARW. Furthermore, we could found no harmful effect of the ARW in this study.