title: Influence of dehydroepiandrosterone on rabbit intraocular pressure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The systemic concentration of dehydroepiandrosterone decreases with age in primates while in humans intraocular pressure (IOP) increases with aging. This study was designed to investigate if a relationship existed between dehydroepiandrosterone and IOP in pigmented rabbits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Animals were treated unilaterally for 6 weeks with topical 3% dehydroepiandrosterone in 30% 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin; the contralateral eye received vehicle alone. Drops were applied, and IOP measured, twice daily.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Small, but statistically significant, drug-related effects were found. IOP was consistently higher in the afternoon; the afternoon minus morning difference in IOP, however, decreased with time. Topical, radioactive drug application indicated very low level penetration into aqueous humor, iris, corneal epithelium, the rest of the cornea, or bulbar conjunctiva.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The small drug-related effects may be due, in large part, to poor intraocular drug penetration. The circadian rhythm of IOP appears to be time-dependent in chronic studies with a gradual loss of IOP difference between a.m. and p.m. readings.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912-3400, USA.
authors: E C
authors: EC
authors: Kearse
authors: O L
authors: OL
authors: McIntyre
authors: M H
authors: MH
authors: Johnson
authors: C I
authors: CI
authors: Phillips
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Lathe
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Adams
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Green
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism; D018916:Blood-Aqueous Barrier / Q000502:physiology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000378:metabolism; D003315:Cornea / Q000378:metabolism; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone