Effect of nifedipine on severe experimental cataract in diabetic rats.
We examined the effects of Ca(2+)-channel blockers on sugar cataract formation in streptozotocin (65 mg/kg, i.v.)-induced diabetic rats that were given 5% D-glucose as drinking water. The diabetic rats were treated with an L-type Ca(2+)-channel blocker, nifedipine or verapamil, for 9 weeks from the 3rd day of streptozotocin injection. Using the full lens images of the horizontal plane captured with the new digital camera system that we developed recently, the cataract formation was quantitatively assessed in parallel with the conventional scaling method. In the animal model of diabetes mellitus, the cataracts at the peripheral region of the lens were detected 2 weeks after induction of hyperglycemia and progressed depending on the length of the diabetic period. The majority of them developed mature cataracts after 9 weeks of hyperglycemia. Nifedipine slowed the progression rate of diabetic cataracts without affecting the period of time required for the onset of this disease, whereas verapamil had no significant inhibitory effect on the diabetic cataract. These findings suggest that nifedipine may be considered as a candidate drug to suppress the progression of diabetic cataracts.
Kametaka
Sokichi
S
Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Kitasato University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Kasahara
Takafumi
T
Ueo
Mayumi
M
Takenaka
Mariko
M
Saito
Maki
M
Sakamoto
Kenji
K
Nakahara
Tsutomu
T
Ishii
Kunio
K
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002386:Cataract / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004326:Drinking / Q000187:drug effects; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D014700:Verapamil / Q000494:pharmacology
D001786:Blood Glucose; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D014700:Verapamil; D009543:Nifedipine