title: A preliminary study of the neuroprotective role of citicoline eye drops in glaucomatous optic neuropathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the neuroprotective effect of topical citicoline.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental phase to evaluate the ability of citicoline eye drops to reach the vitreous and the retina: The right eyes of 5 mice CD1 were treated with two drops per day for three days of citicoline 1% and 2% (OMK1, Omikron Italia s.r.l.), and then the vitreous was analyzed with the liquid chromatography and spectrometry mass (LC-MS/MS). Clinical phase to determine if topical citicoline is able to delay glaucoma progression, considering perimetric parameters and electro functional tests. Patients were randomized in two groups, OMK1 and OAG. The first group was treated with OMK1 three times per day, plus hypotensive therapy for two months and one month of wash out. The second group was treated only with hypotensive treatment for three months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LC-MS/MS detected the molecule very well, and only OMK1 showed systemic absorption. Thirty-four patients were enrolled, 16 in the OMK1 and 18 in the OAG group. Perimetric parameters showed a positive trend in individual eyes of patients in OMK1 group, but these values were not statistically significant in the whole group. Retinal ganglion cells function improved as shown by reduced P50 latency (P = 0.04) and increased P50-N95 amplitude (P < 0.0001) of pattern electroretinogram, up to 30 days after the washout (P = 0.01; P = 0.002). Visual evoked potential and retino-cortical time improvement regressed after 30 days of washout. In OAG group, there was any change during the follow-up. No adverse reactions were reported in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Topical citicoline seems to have a neuroprotective action.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Ricerca e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Fondazione GB Bietti, Via Livenza 3, 00198, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roberti
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tanga
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Parisi
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sampalmieri
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Centofanti
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Manni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003566:Cytidine Diphosphate Choline / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004596:Electroretinography; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D018697:Nootropic Agents; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D003566:Cytidine Diphosphate Choline