Inhibition of aldose reductase and xylose-induced lens opacity by puerariafuran from the roots of Pueraria lobata.
High sugar levels found in diabetic cataract cause the opacification of lenses by osmotic changes induced via the aldose reductase (AR)-mediated polyol pathway. In this study, puerariafuran, a 2-arylbenzofuran from Pueraria lobata, investigated the inhibitory effects upon AR, antioxidant contents and enzyme activities in the lens. The effect of puerariafuran on xylose-induced lens opacity was also examined. Puerariafuran showed potential inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 22.34 microM against rat lens AR. The xylose-induced opacity of lenses was significantly improved when treated with puerariafuran. Xylose exposure of rat lenses significantly decreased the reduced glutathione (GSH)/oxidized glutathione (GSSG) ratio, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activity and treatment with puerariafuran significantly increased these factors. These results suggest that puerariafuran may provide a potential therapeutic approach for prevention of diabetic complications, such as cataracts.
Kim
Nan Hee
NH
Diabetic Complications Research Center, Division of Traditional Korean Medicine Integrated Research, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, Korea.
Kim
Young Sook
YS
Lee
Yun Mi
YM
Jang
Dae Sik
DS
Kim
Jin Sook
JS
D000449:Aldehyde Reductase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002386:Cataract / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018517:Plant Roots; D029908:Pueraria; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014994:Xylose / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity
D001572:Benzofurans; D010936:Plant Extracts; C514034:puerariafuran; D014994:Xylose; D000449:Aldehyde Reductase