title: Effects of bilberry on deoxyribonucleic Acid damage and oxidant-antioxidant balance in the lens, induced by ultraviolet radiation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study investigated the possible protective effects of bilberry extract after exposing rat eyes to ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four groups of rats were included in this study, each consisting of 10 Wistar rats. The first group acted as the control, and the second group was exposed to UV-B, 5 KJ/m(2) (λm = 300 nm), for 15 minutes. The third group was orally administered bilberry extract (160 mg twice per day) for two weeks before exposure to the UV-B, while the fourth group was administered the same dose of bilberry extract for two weeks before euthanisation. A comet assay was used to examine DNA damage, while the malondialdehyde (MDA) level and superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT), activities were measured in the lens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After exposing the rats to UV-B radiation, the mean percentage tail DNA and tail moment were significantly increased (P < 0.001) when compared to the control group. In the same context, the lens tissue MDA levels and CAT activity were also significantly increased (P < 0.001). The supplementation of the bilberry extract was found to improve the comet assay parameters and enzymatic activity of the rat lens tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The administration of bilberry led to a decrease in the oxidative stress in the lens tissues and DNA damage induced by UV-B radiation in the lenses of Wistar rats.
authors.affiliation: Biophysics and Laser Science Unit, Visual Science Department, Research Institute of Ophthalmology, 2 Al-Ahram Street, Giza, PO Box 90, Egypt.
authors.forename: Eman Mohamed
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Aly
authors.affiliation: Biophysics and Laser Science Unit, Visual Science Department, Research Institute of Ophthalmology, 2 Al-Ahram Street, Giza, PO Box 90, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mervat Ahmed
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ali
keywords: bilberry; comet assay; lens; malondialdehyde; rat; ultraviolet