The Toxic Effects of Diclofenac Sodium on Cultured Rabbit Corneal Epithelium

ABSTRACT

Diclofenac sodium is a widely used drug for reducing inflammation and pain after cataract, surgery or excirner laser photorefractive keratectomy. However,we could find epithelial defect while using this drug postoperatively. To investigate the toxic effects of diclofenac sodium, we cultured corneal epithelial cells and tissues, then exposed them to various concentratiotration of drugs and measured the cell number and expanding area from. the original corneal tissue. In cases of cell culture, the cell number was counted at 24, 48, and 72 hours` exposure to l2.5, 25, 50, and 100 ug/ml solution of diclofenac sodium and at. 5 days after two minute exposure to 0. I and 0.2% solution. The cell number was reduced significantly at 50ug/ml (72 hrs later) , 100ug/ml(48 or 72 hrs later) and 0.1, 0.2% of solution than that of the control group. In tissue culture, we exposed the epithelial tissue to the same condition of cell culture. In long duration exposure conditions, the size of the epithelium grown from the tissues was smaller than that in the control group, especially at the dosage of 50 and 100ug/ml. In short duratio(2 minutes) exposure conditions, no significant difference from the control group was found. In conclusion, diclofenac sodium has some suppressive effects on the growth and migration of the rabbit corneal epithelium and its postoperative high dose or frequent instillation might injure the corneal epithelial cells.