Prevention and treatment of age-related macular degeneration by extract of Fructus lycii and its constituents lutein/zeaxanthin: an in vive and in vitro experimental research / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the in vivo inhibition of extract of Fructus lycii (FL) on the expressions of cathepsin B (Cat B) and cystatin C (Cys C) in high-fat diet and hydroquinone (HQ) induced model mice with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and to explore the in vitro effects of lutein and zeaxanthin on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2,) induced expressions of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP-2) on ARPE-19 cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty female 8-month-old C57BL/6 mice were recruited in this research. Ten mice fed with regular diet was taken as the age control group. The rest 40 mice were fed with high fat diet for 6 months, followed by adding HQ (0. 8%) in the drinking water for 3 consecutive months. Then the modeled mice were randomly divided into the model control group (n =10), the high (at the daily dose of 3.75 g/kg), middle (at the daily dose of 2.50 g/kg), and low dose (at the daily dose of 1.25 g/kg) FL groups, 10 in each group. The extract of FL at each dose was respectively administered to mice by gastrogavage for 3 successive months. By the end of the experiment, the mice were killed and their eyeballs were removed. The protein expressions of Cat B and Cys C were observed by immunohistochemical assay. The mRNA and protein expressions of Cat B and Cys C were detected by real-time PCR and Western blot respectively. The drug concentrations of H2O2, lutein, and zeaxanthin were screened and detected using the activity of cell proliferation. The protein expressions of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 were detected using Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the age control group, the mRNA and protein expressions of Cat B and Cys C were significantly higher in the in vivo model control group (P <0.05, P <0.01). The mRNA expressions of Cat B and Cys C were weaker in the middle and high dose FL groups than in the model control group (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). In in vitro cells, lutein and zeaxanthin could down-regulate the protein expressions of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 in H202 induced ARPE-19 cells (P <0. 05, P <0. 01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Extract of FL could down-regulate the high protein expressions of Cat B and Cys C in high-fat diet and HQ induced model mice. Lutein and zeaxanthin could down-regulate the protein expressions of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 in H202 induced ARPE-19 cells.</p>

Acupuncture for treatment of 40 cases of convergence insufficient asthenopia with exotropia / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the therapeutic effect of acupuncture on convergence insufficient asthenopia with exotropia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty cases of convergence insufficient asthenopia with exotropia were randomly divided into an acupuncture group and an eye drug treatment group, 40 cases in each group. The acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture at Jingming (BL 1), Taiyang (EX-HN 5), Chengqi (ST 1), Hegu (LI4); the eye drug treatment group were treated with local dropping of Aiweiduo. The therapeutic effects and changes of exotropia degree, collecting near point, cumulative score of eye symptoms were observed after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>after treatment for 2 and 4 weeks, the total effective rates were 87.5% and 92.5% in the acupuncture group which were significantly better than 65.0% and 70.0% in the eye drug treatment group (P<0.01); after treatment of 2 and 4 weeks, the collecting near point and the cumulative score of eye symptoms were significantly better than those before treatment (P<0.01); the acupuncture group in improvement of eye symptoms after treatment of 2 weeks and in collecting near point after treatment of 4 weeks was significantly better than the eye drug treatment group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The therapeutic effect of acupuncture on convergence insufficient asthenopia with exotropia is better than that of simple Aiweiduo treatment.</p>