title: Acute corneal toxicity of latanoprost with different preservatives.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the corneal toxicity of Xalatan and three latanoprost generics using transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Corneal TER changes after a 60-s exposure to Xalatan (latanoprost 0.005% preserved with 0.02% BAC), and latanoprost generics (Latanoprost PF BAC free, Latanoprost Nitten SB containing sodium benzoate and Latanoprost Towa containing 0.01% BAC with sodium chloride polysorbate 80 as additive) were measured in living rabbits. Corneal damage was also examined by SEM. Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS) was used as a control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant decrease in the corneal TER after exposure of the cornea to Xalatan (p < 0.01) and all latanoprost generics (p < 0.01: Latanoprost PF, p < 0.05: Latanoprost Nitten SB, Latanoprost Towa) as compared to HBSS. All latanoprost generics showed less TER decrease in the corneal TER as compared to Xalatan (p < 0.01). SEM revealed that superficial cells of Xalatan-treated corneas were damaged and exhibited degenerated microvilli. Conversely, the superficial cells of corneas exposed to HBSS or all latanoprost generics appeared normal and had normal microvilli under SEM examinations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The corneal toxicity of Xalatan is greater than that of latanoprost generics. Xalatan contains 0.02% BAC, which may be responsible for the corneal toxicity.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences , Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University , Nagasaki , Japan .
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uematsu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences , Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University , Nagasaki , Japan .|b Department of Ophthalmology , EL-Minia University Hospital , EL-Minia , Egypt , and.
authors.forename: Yasser Helmy
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences , Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University , Nagasaki , Japan .
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Onizuka
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences , Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University , Nagasaki , Japan .
authors.forename: Ryotaro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ueki
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences , Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University , Nagasaki , Japan .
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences , Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University , Nagasaki , Japan .
authors.forename: Azusa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fujikawa
authors.affiliation: c Department of Hospital Pharmacy , Nagasaki University Hospital of Medicine and Dentistry , Nagasaki , Japan.
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences , Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University , Nagasaki , Japan .
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kitaoka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001548:Benzalkonium Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016568:Drugs, Generic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017097:Electric Impedance; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000077338:Latanoprost; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011461:Prostaglandins F, Synthetic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D001548:Benzalkonium Compounds; D016568:Drugs, Generic; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical; D011461:Prostaglandins F, Synthetic; D000077338:Latanoprost
keywords: Benzalkonium chloride; Xalatan; cornea; generics; latanoprost; transepithelial electrical resistance