Effect of Chronic Alcohol Consumption on Total Plasma Homocysteine Level in Rats

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2000.tb04606.x
• Publication Date: 2006-05-30T08:19:29Z
• Authors: Felix Stickel; Sang‐Woon Choi; Young‐In Kim; Pamela J. Bagley; Helmut K. Seitz; Robert M. Russell; Jacob Selhub; Joel B. Mason
• Keywords: Hyperhomocysteinemia; Liter

Chronic alcoholism in humans is associated with the development of hyperhomocysteinemia, mechanism which remains unclear. Among causes hyperhomocysteinemia depletion folate, vitamin B12, or B6. Population-based studies indicate that folate strongest determinant and, most settings, supplementation effectively lowers elevated homocysteine levels. However, it not clear whether deficiency cause alcohol-related hyperhomocysteinemia.In present study, 10 male Sprague Dawley rats were fed ethanol-containing Lieber-DeCarli diets 13 mg folic acid per kilogram diet. This represents a intake more than 20 times basal requirement. Ethanol represented 36% total energy, yielded concentration 6.2% (vol/vol). The same number pair-fed isocaloric control contained an identical level ethanol was entirely replaced by maltodextrin.At end 4 weeks, alcohol-fed did show any significant reduction plasma hepatic concentrations, pyridoxal-5'-phosphate concentration, B12 concentration. On other hand, significantly hyperhomocysteinemic (17.24 +/- 4.63 micromol/liter,p < 0.01) compared to nonalcohol group (10.73 2.76 micromol/liter). Alcohol-fed also had lower S-adenosylmethionine and higher S-adenosylhomocysteine levels.Chronic alcohol consumption produces related interference one-carbon metabolism, through depletion.