Vitamins and analgesics in the prevention of collagen ageing.

The ageing of connective tissues involves modifications of collagen, which are currently generating much interest amongst protein researchers. Protein glycation, a non-enzymic reaction involving sugar, appears to play a role in the evolution of age-related physical changes and diabetic complications-retinopathy, neuropathy, renal failure and atherosclerosis. Our studies show that the glycation of human corneal and scleral collagen produces increases in the collagen intermolecular spacing-these increases are similar to those we previously reported on the ageing of collagen in these tissues. The present investigation employs X-ray diffraction to look at the structural effects of various substances that are believed in inhibit protein glycation. Aspirin-like compounds and certain vitamins successfully prevented the sugar-induced molecular changes from occurring in corneal and scleral collagen, suggesting that such compounds could have a useful role in this aspect of ageing.