Influence of dehydroepiandrosterone on rabbit intraocular pressure.
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.
Kearse
E C
EC
Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912-3400, USA.
McIntyre
O L
OL
Johnson
M H
MH
Phillips
C I
CI
Lathe
R
R
Adams
W
W
Green
K
K
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
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone