title: The effect of lithospermic acid, an antioxidant, on development of diabetic retinopathy in spontaneously obese diabetic rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lithospermic acid B (LAB), an active component isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza radix, has been reported to have antioxidant effects. We examined the effects of LAB on the prevention of diabetic retinopathy in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats, an animal model of type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LAB (10 or 20 mg/kg) or normal saline were given orally once daily to 24-week-old male OLETF rats for 52 weeks. At the end of treatment, fundoscopic findings, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in the eyeball, VEGF levels in the ocular fluid, and any structural abnormalities in the retina were assessed. Glucose metabolism, serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP1), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) and urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels were also measured. Treatment with LAB prevented vascular leakage and basement membrane thickening in retinal capillaries in a dose-dependent manner. Insulin resistance and glucose intolerance were significantly improved by LAB treatment. The levels of serum hsCRP, MCP1, TNFα, and urinary 8-OHdG were lower in the LAB-treated OLETF rats than in the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with LAB had a preventive effect on the development of diabetic retinopathy in this animal model, probably because of its antioxidative effects and anti-inflammatory effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea; Department of Endocrinology, The ZhongShan Hospital, DaLian University, Dalian, China.
authors.forename: Cheng Ji
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University Hangang Sacred Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, The ZhongShan Hospital, DaLian University, Dalian, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Se Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Chul
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoung Min
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyong Soo
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Hak Chul
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Soo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000378:metabolism; D003849:Deoxyguanosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000652:urine; D053630:Depsides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000188:drug therapy; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001572:Benzofurans; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D053630:Depsides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C046833:lithospermic acid; D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D003849:Deoxyguanosine; D005947:Glucose