XANTHONE-2-CARBOXYLIC ACID EFFECT ON LENS GROWTH, HYDRATION AND PROTEINS DURING DIABETIC CATARACT DEVELOPMENT

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 259  (1) , 166-176
Abstract
The concomitant protective effects of the aldose reductase inhibitor, 7-dimethylsulfamoyl-xanthone-2-carboxylic acid, were established by 3 lens parameters (soluble crystalline proteins, growth and cell hydration) because their quantitation provided a comprehensive index of lens physiology during sugar cataractogenesis in the rat neonate. Their fused eyelids provided the orbital pouch for topical administration of inhibitor to the treated lens; the contralateral pouch served as an untreated control. Protein preservation was determined by gel filtration chromatography. In galactose-maintained neonates, untreated lenses exhibited only 50% of the normal Fraction II protein whereas xanthone-treatment maintained 73% of this component. Quantitative analysis of scanning electron micrographs indicated that xanthone-treatment partially protected lenses against both intra and extracellular fluid accumulation as determined by measurements of individual fiber cell thickness, density (the number of cells/10 .mu.m cortex) and interdigitaiton. Xanthone treatment improved lens growth as evidence by radius and dry weight measurements. Apparently, topically applied xanthone partially inhibited sugar cataractogenesis.