Pycnogenol a promising remedy for diabetic keratopathy in experimentally induced corneal alkali burns in diabetic rats

Abstract

Aim This study aimed to investigate the efficiency of topically applied pycnogenol (PYC) in healing the standardized alkaline corneal ulcer in diabetic and normal rats. Materials and methods The corneal alkali-burn injury (CA-I) model was unilaterally developed in Wistar rats by filter paper saturated with 0.01 M of NaOH and touching the eyes for 45 s. Rats were divided into four groups: Normal control (NC), normal PYC (NPYC), diabetic control (DC), and diabetic PYC (DPYC). Both NPYC and DPYC groups were daily treated with PY eye drops three times, whereas NC and DC ones were treated with ordinary saline for six successive days. Results The wound healing of corneal epithelial was improved in the NPYC group compared to the NC group. Meanwhile, it was significantly improved (P < 0.05) in the DPYC group than in the DC group. Histological examination revealed that corneal re-epithelialization was more accomplished in the DPYC group than in the DC group. In addition, the inflammatory cells were augmented in the DC group more than those in the DPYC one. Conclusion The findings obtained revealed the efficiency of PYC for enhancing the corneal re-epithelialization and reducing the inflammatory reaction post alkali burn in rats, and thus it could be beneficially valuable as a treatment for the diabetic keratopathy.

Effect of PKH-26-labeled exosomes derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on corneal epithelium regeneration in diabetic mice

“…The main clinical manifestations are dry eye, decreased corneal sensitivity, difficult healing of the corneal epithelium after ocular surgery or trauma, neurotrophic corneal ulcers, etc. The main pathological mechanism of diabetic keratopathy could be stem cell dysfunction, abnormal function of the corneal epithelium, abnormal components in the basement membrane, deposition of the product of glycosylation, injury to the corneal nerve endings, abnormal corneal endothelium, oxidative stress, or inflammatory response (1)(2)(3).…”

The effects of Pycnogenol, a pine bark extract on pulmonary inflammation by Asian sand dust in mice

“…Pycnogenol (PYC), a standardised extract of French maritime pine bark (Pinus pinaster Aiton), contains several active components, including proanthocyanins. PYC, which is used worldwide as an herbal remedy and as a nutritional and dietary supplement for the management of various disorders including inflammatory and circulatory diseases, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial effects (Torras et al 2005;Yang et al 2014;Hamed et al 2022;Nattagh-Eshtivani et al 2022). PYC is also used to manage respiratory diseases like asthma, rhinitis, pulmonary fibrosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Wilson et al 2010;Liu et al 2016;Shin et al 2016;Park et al 2022).…”

rhFGF-21 accelerates corneal epithelial wound healing through the attenuation of oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators in diabetic mice

“…It has been reported that during prolonged hyperglycemia, glucose causes auto-oxidation of proteins and induces the production of ROS ( 28 ). High glucose levels decrease the antioxidant defense and enhance oxidative stress in cells ( 29 ). After a corneal injury, in diabetic mice, inflammation and oxidative stress greatly limit the healing of the corneal epithelium and increase the risk of persistent defects of the corneal epithelium ( 1 , 2 ).…”