Taurine as anticataractogenic agent in galactose - feeding rats

ABSTRACT

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of taurine on the onset and maturation of galactose induced cataract. Fort y Male Sprague - Dawley rats [21 days old] were divided into 4 groups containing ten rats each. Group 1 received control diet, group 2 received 30% galactose in the diet, group 3 received the group 2 diet plus 2% taurine solution and group 4 received control diet plus 2% taurine solution. After the period of 28 days, biochemical parameters such as lipid peroxidation products, aldose reductase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, protein thiol and reduced glutathione were estimated in the lens. Crystallin profile was analyzed by column chromatography. Galactose-fed rats showed increased lipid peroxidation and impaired antioxidant status of the lens with an increase in maturation of cataract. Taurine administration to galactose- fed rats attenuated the increased lipid peroxidation, enhanced the levels of antioxidant, inhibited the activity of aldose reductase enzyme and improved the crystallin profile. Inhibitions of peroxidation markers and up regulation of antioxidant activity of rat lens by taurine signify the potential utility of taurine as anticataractogenic agent in diabetic rats