title: Inhibition of experimental corneal neovascularisation by bevacizumab (Avastin).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of topically administered bevacizumab (Avastin) on experimental corneal neovascularisation in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Silver nitrate sticks (75% silver nitrate, 25% potassium nitrate) were used to perform chemical cauterisation on the corneas of 16 eyes from 16 male Long Evans rats. For the following 7 days, the 10 eyes in the treatment group were instilled with bevacizumab 4 mg/ml drops twice daily, whereas the 6 eyes in the control group received placebo (normal saline drops twice daily). Digital photographs of the cornea were analysed to determine the area of cornea covered by neovascularisation as a percentage of the total corneal area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the bevacizumab-treated eyes, neovascularisation covered, on average, 38.2% (15.5%) (mean (SD)) of the corneal surface compared with 63.5% (5.0%) in the control group (p<0.02, Mann-Whitney U test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Topically administered bevacizumab (Avastin) at a concentration of 4 mg/ml limits corneal neovascularisation following chemical injury in the male Long Evans rat model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
authors.forename: Roberta P A
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Manzano
authors.forename: Gholam A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Peyman
authors.forename: Palwasha
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Petros E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Carvounis
authors.forename: Muhamet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kivilcim
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Jonathan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lake
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chévez-Barrios
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D016510:Corneal Neovascularization / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D008297:Male; D010781:Photography; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D012835:Silver Nitrate; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D012835:Silver Nitrate