• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.12
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• pp.1707-1711
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of ethanol extract from Lycii folium (L. folium) leaves on obesity index, serum lipids, homocysteine, leptin, ghrelin, and glucose in obese rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were administrated high-fat diets to induce obesity. Then, obese rats were divided into three diet groups: a basal-diet obese group (BO group), high-fat diet obese group (FO group), and high-fat diet plus L. folium extract obese group (FLEO group). Three groups were each fed experimental diet for 8 weeks. There were no significant differences in body weight and FER among the groups. However, obesity index such as Ro？hrer index, Lee index, and T.M. index of FLEO group was significantly decreased as compared to FO group. While serum triglyceride of BO group was significantly decreased as compared to FO group, there were no significant differences in serum lipids, homocysteine, leptin, ghrelin and glucose between FLEO group and FO group. In conclusion, these results indicated that ethanol extract from L. folium leaves might be beneficial with anti-obese effect by reduction of obesity indices in obese rats.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.173-178
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• 2007

In this study we manufactured mulberry fruit tea(MFT) to be used as an anti-inflammatory agent. Here, MFT was consumed by thirty middle-aged women with symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis for 4 weeks. The anthropometric measurements and serum inflammatory factors were measured before and after consumption of the MFT. For the anthropometric measurements, BMI and body fat decreased after 4 weeks of tea consumption although there were no significant differences. The serum inflammatory factors(uric acid and homocysteine) as well as serum amino transferase activity(aspartate trans-aminase and alanine transaminase) showed a decreasing trend. In addition, serum carbon reactive protein(CRP) decreased significantly decreased after MFT consumption 4 weeks. It's concluded that this MFT is helpful to for rheumatyroid arthritis patients in order to decrease serum inflammatory factors such as CRP.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nutrition Society Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.142-142
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• 2002

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.337-342
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• 2009

Background : Many previous studies have shown that elevated homocysteine in the serum is a well known risk factor for cardiovascular disease and this is associated with other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, but any Korean data on this is limited. Objectives : This study aimed to calculate the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia and to analyze the relation between elevated homocysteine and the lifestyle factors of Korean adults. Methods : We conducted a cross-sectional survey that included 650 men and 743 women (age range, 20 to 79 years) who were residents of Gwangju City in Gyeonggi-do. These subjects participated in the health interview and examination survey from November to December 2005. The total homocysteine, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride in the serum were measured. All the participants had their body composition measured such as height and weight, and we obtained health-related behavioral information through the self-entry questionnaire. Results : Very right-handed skewed distributions of homocysteine were shown in men and women. The prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia was 22.6% in men and 13.7% in women in Gwangju city. On the multiple logistic regression analysis, hyperhomocysteinemia was associated with age (OR=1.02, 95% CI=1.01-1.04), male gender (OR=1.60, 95% CI=1.02-2.52), severe general physical activity (OR=0.32, 95% CI=0.15-0.69) and nutrient consumption (OR=0.49, 95% CI=0.31-0.76). Conclusions : There is a great prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia in adults of Gwangju City, Korea and it was associated with both genetic factors and lifestyle risk factors. This study can suggest that comprehensive lifestyle modification is needed in order to diminish the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia and to prevent CVD.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-4
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• 2002

Objective : Hyperhomocysteinemia has been proven to be an independent risk factor for stroke. The genetic mutation of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR) elevates serum homocysteine level, but it still remains controversial whether the MTHFR gene mutation could be a predictor of ischemic stroke. Therefore, we studied if this genetic defect could cause ischemic stroke independently. Methods : We gathered ischemic stroke subjects and age, sex-matched controls. Age, gender, past medical history, smoking habit, serum homocysteine level, and the MTHFR genotype were recorded. General characteristics of ischemic stroke subjects were compared to the controls. We classified the stroke according to the related vessels(small and large artery infarction) and single lesion and multiple infraction. Relevant risk of the MTHFR genotype was evaluated in each stroke subtype with multiple logistic regression analysis. Results : When the controls were compared to the whole ischemic stroke, there was no specific difference except some medical histories. However, further analysis based on stroke subtypes showed important results. The small artery infarction group, multiple infraction group had significant odds ratio of the MTHFR TT genotype adjusted for age, gender, medical history and smoking habit. Conclusions : The MTHFR TT genotype is an independent risk factor for certain types of ischemic stroke, small artery infarction and multiple infarction.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2005

Homocystinuria is a metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency of cystathionine ${\beta}$-synthase (CBS). Patients with homocystinuria show clinical symptoms such as mental retardation, lens dislocation, vascular disease with life-threatening thromboembolisms and skeletal deformities. Generally, the major treatments for CBS deficiency include pharmacologic doses of pyridoxine or dietary restriction of methionine. However, there is no effective treatment for this disease up till today and gene therapy can be an attractive novel approach to treatment of the disease. We investigated whether a recombinant adeno-associated virus could be used as a CBS gene transfer vector to reduce the excessive homocysteine level in the homocystinuria mouse model. Recombinant adeno-associated virus vector encoding the human CBS gene (rAAV-hCBS), driven by EF1-a promoter, was infused into CBS-deficient mice ($CBS^{-/-}$) via intramuscular (IM) and intraperitoneal (IP) injection. IP injection was more efficient than IM injection for prolongation of lives and reduction of plasma homocysteine levels. After 2 weeks of gene transfer by IP injection, serum homocysteine level was significantly decreased in treated mice compared with the age-matched controls and the life span was extended about 1.5 times. Also, increased expression of CBS gene was observed by immunohistochemical staining in livers of treated $CBS^{-/-}$ mice and microvesicular lipid droplets was decreased in cytoplasm of liver. These results demonstrate the possibility and efficacy of gene therapy by AAV gene transfer in homocystinuria mice.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to provide a reference range for plasma homocysteine and to explore the relation between plasma homocysteine and nutritional indexes in a Korean college women. Thirty women were selected from college students in Seoul area With mean age of 22.4y. Dietary intakes of Vitamins B$_{6}$, B$_{12}$, folate were estimated from a 3 day food diary method and plasma homocysteine concentration was mearsured as well as the levels of blood vitamins. The results obtained are as follows. Mean daily intake of energy, vitamin B$_{6}$, B$_{12}$, and folate were 1731.9kcal, 0.9mg, 2.2mg and 139.8$\mu\textrm{g}$ respectively. Mean plasma homocysteine concentration was 12.4$\mu$mol/l with a range between 6.7 and 17.8$\mu$mol/l and the mean concentrations of plasma vitamin B$_{6}$(PLP), serum vitamin $_{12}$, Serum folate and RBC folate were 77.5nmol/l, 267.4pmol/l, 17.1 nmol/l and 736.5nmol/l arid 736.5nmol/l respectively. we found a negative correlation between plasma homocysteine concentration and dietary vitamins, and blood levels of vitamin although it was not significant.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.130-136
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the interactions between maternal folate deficiency and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphism increase the risk of elevated maternal serum homocysteine, short gestation and reduced infant birthweight. Healthy pregnant (n = 170; 24-28 gestational weeks; 20-40 years old) women were analyzed for the MTHFR genotype and serum levels of folate and homocysteine, and were then followed for gestational age and infant birthweight. The mean infant birthweight was highest in mothers carrying MTHFR CC and with a normal folate range, and they were followed by mothers carrying MTHFR CT or TT and a normal range of folate or a folate deficiency. Birthweight was the lowest in mothers whose carrying MTHFR CC with folate deficiency. Using two way ANOVA, we found that folate level and the MTHFR polymorphism interacted to affect birth-weight of infants (p=0.05). Among those mothers carrying MTHFR CC, those with folate deficiency showed a 543 g reduction in infant birthweight compared with those with normal folate levels. However, infant birthweight was no different for mothers, those who with folate deficiency compared to those with normal range of folate among mothers carrying the MTHFR CT or TT genotypes. This study suggests an interaction between maternal serum folate and the MTHFR polymorphisms of the mother on the risk of delivering reduced birthweight offspring. Folate supplementation of folate deficient pregnant women with the MTHFR wild type is suggested to reduce the risk of low birthweight.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.263-275
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• 2008

Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) is one of significant risk factors of developing diabetes. The persons with IFG are, thus, an important target group for primary prevention of diabetes. It is well known that plasma homocysteine concentration may be increased in poor folate nutritional status. Elevated level of plasma homocysteine is considered as a marker of enhanced oxidative stress. In addition, the protective effect against oxidative stress may be diminished in poor antioxidative nutrient status as vitamin C. It is, therefore, important to maintain adequate nutritional status of folate and vitamin C in the patients with type 2 diabetes or IFG. This study was performed to determine the effects of supplementation of folic acid or vitamin C on plasma concentrations of homocysteine, oxidized LDL, and lipids and on the activity of plasma anti-oxidative enzyme in patients with IFG. A total of 97 patients with IFG were participated voluntarily with written consents. They were divided into one of the four experimental groups; Control (C), Folatesupplemented (F), Ascorbate-supplemented (A), and Folate plus ascorbate-supplemented (FA). The subjects in C were taken placebo, those in F were supplemented 1 mg of folate, those in A were received 1,000 mg of vitamin C, and those in FA were given 1 mg of folate plus 1,000 mg of vitamin C daily for 4 weeks. No change in plasma concentrations of vitamin C, lipids, and oxidized LDL and the activity of GSH-Px were observed in vitamin C-supplemented group (A + FA) and folate-supplemented group (F + FA) compared to the placebo group (C + A). Only the folate-supplemented group (F + FA) had significantly increased average serum folate concentration and lowered plasma homocysteine concentration compared to the placebo group (C + A). Thus, it should be recommended the patients with IFG to increase folate intake through diets and, if it is not sufficient, to take folic acid supplements to prevent the development of complications induced by hyperhomocysteinemia as well as oxidative stress.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.697-705
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• 2012

This research was planned and executed to evaluate how the composition of Yack-sun (oriental diet therapy) tea can effect the health conditions of people who are suffering from diet-related diseases such as being overweight, obese and hyperlipidemic, by taking Yack-sun tea in a form of nutritional supplement with daily meals. We produced Kangjieum with Lycense Mill., Polygonum multflorum Thunb, Cassia tora L., Crataegus pinnatifida Bge and Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. We evaluated the effects of this tea on serum lipids, on homocysteine concentration, and on active oxygen contents, oxidative stress by clinical practices. We have determined that this tea has a significant effect on decreasing body fat content, decreasing total cholesterol, decreasing LDL-cholesterol, and decreses triglyceride and homocysteine concentrations. In addition, blood active oxygen content and oxidative stress were significantly decreased. We think that scientific and objective evaluation was performed on the components of Kangjieum prescription. We concluded that we could apply the components, not only in a form of tea, but also in other forms of various foods. The information we received from this conclusion will be basic information on how we can apply oriental medicinal resources into other food and will be a steppingstone for medicinal herbs to place a foot in the field of functional food research, which already draws sizable attention world-wide.