title: Protective effects of Radix Pseudostellariae extract against retinal laser injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to analyze the protective effects of a saponin extract from Radix Pseudostellariae (RP) on retinal laser injury based on a retinal photocoagulation model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-eight rabbits were randomly divided into three groups: Group A (saponin extract orally), Group B (physiological saline), and Group C (control). The animals were sacrificed 1 day, 7 days, 14 days, and 30 days after photocoagulation and lesions were evaluated with fundus photography, light microscopy, and electron microscopy. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured, and expression levels of c-fos and Bax genes were also determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The lesion sizes in Group A were smaller than in Group B. The levels of SOD in Group B were significantly lower than in groups A and C (P<0.001) at all time points. The MDA levels were significantly lower than in groups B and C (P<0.001) at the 1 month point, while the apoptosis rate of Group A was significantly lower than that of Group B at all time points. The expression levels of the c-fos gene in Group B were significantly higher than that in groups A and C, and expression levels of the Bax gene in Group A were significantly lower than that in groups B and C.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The saponin extract of RP can inhibit oxidative stress, downregulate the levels of c-fos and Bax gene expression, and inhibit apoptosis in the retina after photocoagulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Guo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rui
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yuliang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kai
authors.forename: Cui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xiaobing
authors.forename: Zhu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Changle
authors.forename: Shen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Longshu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D029748:Caryophyllaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D017075:Laser Coagulation / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D019721:Ophthalmoscopes; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000235:genetics; D011817:Rabbits; D011833:Radiation Injuries, Experimental / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase