The Preventive Effects of Extract on Sodium Selenite-Induced Cataractogenesis in Experimental Animal Models.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Neonatal rats received a single dose of sodium selenite as an intraperitoneal injection (30 mol/kg) on day 10 postnatal to induce cataract. Animals were then posttreated with various oral solutions of extract at 200 mg/kg or 400 mg/kg once daily on days 10-16 postnatal. Cataract was evaluated by slit-lamp, and lens opacification was analyzed in each group 24 hours after the last treatment at day seven postadministration of the extracts or vehicle. The total protein concentration of lenses, glutathione reductase activity as the glutathione antioxidant capacity, and malondialdehyde content as a marker of lipid peroxidation were further assessed in removed rat lenses on day 30 postnatal.

RESULTS

All lenses in the healthy and control plant groups were clear. Sodium selenite significantly increased cataract grade (2.8 ± 0.2) when compared to the healthy group ( = 0.001). However, cataract grades were decreased considerably as 1.9 ± 0.72 and 1.5 ± 0.85 in groups that received 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg oral extract of , respectively. extract also restored all abnormalities of biochemical markers induced by sodium selenite.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that could be a promising candidate as a safe alternative treatment in cataracts upon further clinical trials. This effect is probably associated with the antioxidant activity of .