Effects of epidermal growth factor in artificial tear on vitamin C levels of corneal wounded eye tissues.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of artificial tear (AT) solution and epidermal growth factor (EGF) treatment on the cornea and aqueous humour ascorbic acid (AA) levels of full-thickness corneal wounded eyes.


METHODS
The effect of EGF on the AA levels of aqueous humour and corneal wound tissue was determined in full-thickness corneal wounded rabbit eyes on the seventh post-operative day. There were three groups: untreated controls, AT-treated controls and an EGF+AT-treated experimental group (n = 6 in each group). Corneal wounded eyes were topically treated with 5 microl AT or 5 microl EGF in AT (1 mg/l EGF in AT prepaaration which contained 3.0% carbopol 940) twice daily for 6 days after operation. The wound strengths were also measured on the seventh post-operative day as a measure of wound healing. Statistical analysis was carried out using the Mann-Whitney U-test by Statview program.


RESULTS
The wound strengths of corneas, and AA levels of wound tissues and aqueous humour, increased significantly following AT and EGF treatment (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
In the corneal wounded eye, aqueous humour serves as a source of vitamin C and there may be a relation between EGF treatment in AT and AA levels of corneal wounded eye tissues.
Gönül
B
B
Department of Physiology, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. hbcgonul@turk.net
Kaplan
B
B
Bilgihan
K
K
Budak
M T
MT
D000818:Animals; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D003315:Cornea / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D065306:Corneal Injuries; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011817:Rabbits; D013718:Tensile Strength / Q000187:drug effects; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D001205:Ascorbic Acid