[Comparison of treatment with STRESSEN and arginine glutamate on homocysteine blood levels].

Elevated plasma concentrations of homocysteine may occur because of impaired metabolism of this amino acid as a result of genetic factors or can be attributed to inadeguate blood levels of folate and vitamin B12. Recent studies demonstrated that STRESSEN decreases homocysteinemia more than the above mentioned vitamins do, as reported in literature; this behaviour could be due to the presence in the drug of arginine glutamate, whose specific activity, in comparison with STRESSEN, is here evaluated. The trial was carried out on 20 patients with hyperhomocysteinemia (> 15 micromol/l) and affected by migraine without aura; 10 subjects have received STRESSEN and 10 arginine glutamate. After 30 days of treatment, homocysteinemia was evaluated. Reduction of blood concentration of this amino acid was 56.3% (P < 0.001) after STRESSEN therapy and 27.0% (P < 0.001) after arginine glutamate. Obtained results show, for the first time, the efficacy of arginine glutamate on homocysteinemia and strengthen the hypotesis that STRESSEN activity is due to all its components, including arginine glutamate that itself acts on this parameter.