Abstract

POSSIBLE ROLE OF HEME OXYGENASE (HO)-1 IN ANTICATARACT ACTIVITY OF DIABECON (D-400) IN HYPERGLYCEMIA-INDUCED CATARACT IN CULTURED GOAT LENS

V. Sai Muneeswari*, A. Manasa, A. Santhi Sri and V. Sujitha

Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) causes significant visual loss on a global scale. Treatments for the vision-threatening complications of diabetic macular edema (DME) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) have greatly improved over the past decade. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO- 1), the rate-limiting enzyme that catalyzes the degradation of heme to biliverdin, carbon oxide (CO) and iron, is one of the ARE-regulated phase II detoxifying enzymes and antioxidants, which are regulated by the redox-sensitive transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2- related factor (Nrf2). Over expression of HO-1 is neuroprotective in a model of permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in transgenic mice. In India, Ayurveda medicine has used many herbs such as turmeric possibly as early as 1900 BC. Many other herbs and minerals used in Ayurveda were later described by ancient Indian herbalists such as Charaka and Sushruta during the 1st millennium BC. Diabecon (D-400) contains Gymnema sylvestre (Meshashringi), Eugenia jambolana (Jambu), Tinospora cordifolia, Pterocarpus marsupium, Ficus glomerata, Momordica charantia (Karela), Ocimum sanctum (Vishnu priya), as its main ingredients. The preservation of beta cell function noted in this study after use of Diabecon (D-400) is also animal studies, indicating the regeneration of rat beta cells. There was a significant reduction in postprandial plasma glucose levels and glycosylated haemoglobin levels in the drug treated group. The present study was designed to evaluate the diabcon (D-400), ayurvedic medicines for their anti-cataract effect in-vitro hyperglycemia-induced cataract in cultured goat Lens and its mechanism of actions.

Keywords: Diabetic retinopathy, Heme oxygenase-1, Diabecon (D-400).