The interrelation between the deficiency of vitamin B12 and neurotoxicity of homocysteine with nitrite in some of neurologic disorders

In this study, the relation between vitamin B 12 deficiency and neurotoxicity of homocysteine with nitrite (a metabolite of nitric oxide) is defined on the basis of accumulated results obtained in cerebrospinal fluid from 20 parkinson's patients, 16 patients with cerebrovascular disorders, 20 patients with multiple sclerosis, 18 patients with aseptic meningitis and 14 patients with tuberculous meningitis. These results were compared with 14 healthy subjects. The results showed the significant increase of nitrite, arginine and homocysteine , and decrease in vitamin B 12 in all patients except patients with aseptic meningitis. A linear relationship between the CSF levels of nitrite and homocysteine was found, suggesting that the production of nitrite is interrelated with the neurotoxic level of homocysteine. It is attributed that the levels of nitrite and homocysteine resulting in the deficiency of vitamin B 12 are some of the factors in the degenaration of various neurologic disorders. This study emphasizes on the importance of these parameters in designing the suitable drugs therapy in these neurological disorders.