Long-term effect of topically applied isopropyl unoprostone on microcirculation in the human ocular fundus.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the long-term effect of 0.12% isopropyl unoprostone (Rescula) on microcirculation in the human ocular fundus.


METHODS
A laser speckle tissue circulation analyzer was used to measure normalized blur (NB), a quantitative index of blood flow velocity, in the optic nerve head (ONH) and choroid-retina before and 4.5 hours after the instillation of a placebo into both eyes of 11 healthy volunteers. The intraocular pressure (IOP), blood pressure, and pulse rate were also recorded in this control experiment. Thereafter, a drop of unoprostone or a placebo was instilled into each eye in a double-blind manner twice a day for 21 days to form treated and untreated groups.


RESULTS
After 21 days, the NB values in the ONH and choroid-retina had increased significantly and the IOP had decreased significantly in the unoprostone-treated eyes. Ocular perfusion pressure showed no significant change.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that long-term application of unoprostone can increase microcirculatory blood flow in the human ocular fundus, probably due to a reduction in vascular resistance.
Makimoto
Yukiko
Y
Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka Medical College, Osaka, Japan.
Sugiyama
Tetsuya
T
Kojima
Shota
S
Azuma
Ikuo
I
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002829:Choroid / Q000098:blood supply*; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000098:blood supply*; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000502:physiology*
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; C072630:isopropyl unoprostone; D015237:Dinoprost