title: Protective effects of total flavonoids from Flos Puerariae on retinal neuronal damage in diabetic mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the potential protective effects of total flavonoids from Flos Puerariae (TFF) on retinal neural cells in diabetic mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  C57BL/6J mice were intraperitoneally injected with streptozotocin to generate type I diabetes in a murine model, as indicated by blood glucose levels ≥11.1 mmol/l. TFF was administered intragastrically at a dose of 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg/day. After 10 weeks of administration, the mice were euthanized, and the eyes were dissected. Retinal histology was examined, and the thickness of the retina was measured. Ultrastructural changes in the retinal ganglion cells and capillary basement membrane were observed with electron microscopy. Apoptosis of retinal neural cells was determined with the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling assay. Bax and Bcl-2 expression in the retinal tissues was determined with immunohistochemical staining and western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the diabetic mice, the blood glucose level decreased (p<0.01) and the bodyweight increased (p<0.05) in the 100 and 200 mg/kg TFF-treated groups. The thickness of the retina significantly increased (p<0.01), and the retinal capillary basement membrane (BM) thickness was reduced in the 100 and 200 mg/kg TFF-treated diabetic mice (DM). The 100 and 200 mg/kg TFF treatments also attenuated the diabetes-induced apoptosis of retinal neural cells. Consistent with these effects, TFF treatment decreased the Bax expression level and, concurrently, increased the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TFF attenuated diabetes-induced apoptosis in retinal neurons by inhibiting Bax expression and increasing the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax, which suggests that TFF might prevent retinal neuronal damage in diabetes mellitus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, China.
authors.forename: Dai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hongke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Kaili
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002196:Capillaries / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D029908:Pueraria; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D055351:Retinal Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013311:Streptozocin; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005419:Flavonoids; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; C442841:Puerariae Flos extract; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D013311:Streptozocin