Ophthalmic gel of salvianolic acid B on diabetic cataract in rats

Objective To explore the possibility of drug therapy for experimental diabetic cataract and observe the changes of lens through dropping ophthalmic gel of salvianolic acid B for diabetic cataract eyes in rats.Methods Diabetic cataract eyes of rats were made by injecting streptozotocin through rats' dorsal venous of penis.All rats were divided into 3 groups,group A(control group,20 rats),group B(streptozotocin model group,30 rats) and group C(ophthalmic gel of salvianolic acid B group,30 rats) Changes of lens were recorded weekly by using slit lamp microscope camera.Six months later,there were 20 rats,18 rats,21 rats survived in group A,group B,and group C,respectively,and they all were killed when the experiment was over.Concentrations of superoxide dismutase(SOD),glutathion peroxidase(GSH-PX) and malondialdehyde(MDA) in lens were detected.Results Turbid level of lens in group B and group C were significantly higher than that in group A with slit lamp microscope(χ2AC=7.746,0.025P0.01;χ2AB=48.56,P0.005),and the turbid level in group C was much lower than that in group B(χ2BC=18.85,P0.005).In group B,the level of MDA(0.65±0.10)nmol·mg-1 was higher than that of group A(0.12±0.04)nmol·mg-1(P0.05),while the activites of SOD(30.35±4.17)U·mg-1 and GSH-PX(1.28±0.08)U·mg-1 were significantly decreased compared with SOD(55.53±9.98)U·mg-1 and GSH-PX(2.07±0.14)U·mg-1 in group A(both P0.05).Compared with group B,the level of MDA(0.16±0.09)nmol·mg-1 was lower,while the activities of SOD(50.48±5.17)U·mg-1 and GSH-PX(1.76±0.11)U·mg-1 were increased in group C(all P0.05).There was no statistical difference in the level of MDA,and the activities of SOD and GSH-PX between group C and group A(all P0.05).Conclusions Ophthalmic gel of salvianolic acid B can reduce the turbid level of lens in diabetic rats,which may have relationships with enhancing anti-hypoxia ability of cells,inhibiting the production of oxygen-derived free radicals through its anti-lipid peroxidation,so as to protect lens epithelial cells.