Effects of 9-(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxymethyl) guanine (DHPG) eye drops and cyclosporine eye drops in the treatment of herpetic stromal keratitis in rabbits.

The effect of 9-(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxymethyl) guanine (ganciclovir, DHPG) eye drops and the anti-inflammatory effect of cyclosporine (CYA) eye drops on experimental herpetic stromal keratitis in rabbits with herpes simplex virus (HSV) were studied. Ten rabbits were presensitized by subcutaneous injection of HSV, type 1, on days 14 and 7 before intrastromal inoculation of the same virus. These rabbits were divided into 2 groups and treatment was started 48 hours after virus inoculation. The eye drops used were 0.1% DHPG, 0.1% CYA or the vehicles of these eye drops. Eye drops were given 5 times a day and eyes were scored every day for 3 weeks after inoculation. The right eyes of Group 1 were treated with 0.1% DHPG and 0.1% CYA eye drops, and the left eyes with 0.1% DHPG and the vehicle of CYA eye drops. The right eyes of Group 2 were treated with 0.1% CYA and the vehicle of DHPG eye drops, and the left eyes with the vehicles of CYA and DHPG eye drops. The combination of DHPG and CYA was the most effective in decreasing the severity of herpetic stromal keratitis. Treatment with DHPG alone was also effective, but CYA alone was less effective.