Effect of esculin on the lens injury induced by D-galactose in rats / 中国药学杂志

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of esculin (ES) against lens injury induced by D-galactose in rats. METHODS: Male SD rats were randomly divided into five groups normal control group (control), D-galactose model group (model), ES 30 mg·kg-1 administered group (ES30), ES 100 mg·kg-1 administered group (ES100) and aminoguanidine 100 mg·kg-1 administered group (AG). After treatment, blood glucose and glycosylated serum protein (GSP) content in serum were measured. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA), the level of glutathione (GSH), and the activity of aldose reductase (AR) in lens were also assayed. RESULTS: Compared with control group, the level of blood glucose was significantly increased (P<0.01) in D-galactose model rats. In addition, in the lens tissue of D-galactose-induced rats, the content of MDA was significantly decreased (P<0.05), the level of GSH was significantly increased (P<0.05), and the activity of AR was significantly decreased (P<0.05). However, co-treatment with ES 30 mg·kg-1 significantly decreased the level of GSP in serum(P<0.05), decreased the content of MDA (P<0.05), increased the level of GSH (P<0.05), and inhibited the activity of AR in lens (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Esculin could improve lens injury induced by D-galactose in rats. The mechanism may be related with increasing GSH level, decreasing MDA production, and inhibiting AR activity.