ABSTRACT
Diabetic retinopathy(DR)has been traditionally considered a purely microvascular disease in the retina. Currently, mainstream therapies focus only on advanced vascular complications and a single molecular target-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF). However, the research is shifting towards a more comprehensive view that DR is a neurovascular disease caused by neurovascular unit(NVU)injury. In the early stage of DR, diabetic retinal neurodegeneration(DRN)dominates and may precede the retinal microvascular abnormalities. Moreover, neuronal apoptosis can further lead to microvascular injury and blood-retinal barrier(BRB)disruption. Therefore, it makes sense to develop new therapeutic strategies to prevent or reverse DRN. However, no drug targeting DRN has been approved for clinical use. In recent years, it has become a trend to study the protective effect of traditional Chinese medicine on the retina. The primary research focuses on Chinese herb monomers. This article reviews the research status of representative monomers in DRN to provide references for the early treatment of DR and development of new drugs.
ABSTRACT
AIM To investigate the clinical effects of Qingrun Yangmu Oral Liquid combined with artificial tears on dry eye visual fatigue patients due to Liver-Kidney Yin Deficiency Syndrome.METHODS Ninety patients (180 eyes) randomly and equally were divided into artificial tears group (0.1％ Sodium Hyaluronate Eye Drops),oral liquid group (Qingrun Yangmu Oral Liquid) and combination group (0.1％ Sodium Hyaluronate Eye Drops and Qingrun Yangmu Oral Liquid) underwent a ten-day course of treatment,and they had their subjective symptom score,tear secretory volume (Schirmer Ⅰ test,SIT),tear film break-up time (BUT),corneal fluorescein staining (CFS) score and visuognosis persistence observed prior to the treatment,and on the 1 lth,21st,30th days after the treatment.RESULTS All the aforementioned indices in the three groups were improved after the treatment,especially of the 11th day (P ＜0.01).Obvious changes of BUT,CFS score and visuognosis persistence at different time points,in the three groups were found as compared with those data prior to the treatment (P ＜0.05),so were the subjective symptom score and SIT in the oral liquid group and combination group (P ＜ 0.05).The combination group displayed significantly better results than the other two groups (P ＜ 0.05),which exhibited no obvious differences between the interventions of artificial tears and oral liquid (P ＞ 0.05).A markedly higher total efficacy rate of combination group than the other two groups was achieved as well (P ＜ 0.05).CONCLUSION For patients of dry eye visual fatigue due to Liver-Kidney Yin Deficiency Syndrome,Qingrun Yangmu Oral Liquid combined with artificial tears can relieve their symptoms in terms of tear secretory promotion and prolonged BUT.