NATURAL PRODUCTS WITH NADPH OXIDASE INHIBITOR PROPERTIES AS POTENTIAL PREVENTIVE AGENTS IN DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
Nik Musaadah M.(1), Bahaedin M Ben-Mahmud (2), Kohner E.M. (2) and Chibber R. (2)
1Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), 52109 Kepong, Selangor, Malaysia
2Cardiovascular Division, James Black Centre, King's College London, 125 Coldharbour Lane, London, SE5 9NU, UK.
Tel: 03-62797345.
Fax: 03-62729805
Email: [email protected]
Diabetes mellitus is one of the global health problems in both developed and developing countries. Diabetes leads to macrovascular and microvascular complications. One of the microvascular complications is diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness characterized by vascular changes of the retinal capillary bed.
The earliest anatomical change of diabetic retinopathy is the loss of pericytes due to accelerated apoptosis. The underlying cause of pericyte apoptosis is not fully understood, but there is strong evidence indicating that hyperglycaemia-induced oxidative stress plays a key role in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy.
The aim of the study was to examine the potential of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase inhibitor to prevent high glucose-induced apoptosis of cultured bovine retinal capillary pericytes (BRP).
Exposure of BRP to high glucose (25 mM) significantly increased the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis. Treatment with apocynin, NADPH oxidase assembly inhibitor significantly reversed the generation of ROS and apoptosis induced by high glucose.
Apocynin (4-hydroxy-3-methoxyacetophenone) is a phenolic compound originally extracted from the Himalayan medicinal plant.
Therefore, we suggest that natural products with NADPH oxidase inhibitor properties have a potential to prevent high glucose-induced apoptosis (a form of programmed cell death) of pericytes (cells found in capillaries) in early diabetic retinopathy.
For more information on this paper, please contact the author at the contact details above.
For more information on FRIM and the CFFPR Meeting, please contact Dr Mohd. Nor Mohd. Yusoff, Senior Director, Forest Products Division, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM). Email: [email protected]
