Abstract
Purpose:
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of ethanol extract of Diospyros kaki leaves (EEDK) on corneal neovascularization (CoNV) in rats.
Methods:
The dried leaves of D. kaki were extracted twice with ethanol at room temperature for 3 h and filtered. The combined filtrate was concentrated and dried by rotary evaporation.Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups of 8 animals each. After producing alkali burns in the corneas by the application of a 3-mm diameter filter paper soaked with 1 mol/L NaOH, separate groups of rats received 100 mg/kg or 200 mg/kg EEDK daily by gavage. A third group was used as a positive control group. After 7 days, all subjects were examined using biomicroscopy and anterior segment photos were taken, with which the area of CoNV was compared between groups. The protein expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) were determined by western blot analysis.
Results:
One week after the chemical burn, the CoNV area coverage in the CoNV positive control group, 100 mg/kg EEDK group, and 200 mg/kg EEDK group was 43.3 ± 5.5%, 337.7 ± 2.5%, and 27.2 ± 4.3%, respectively. The areas of corneal neovascularization in the EEDK-treated groups were significantly different from that of the CoNV group. EEDK significantly attenuated the up-regulation of VEGF, FGF, IL-6, and MMP-2 protein levels.
Conclusions:
Orally administrated D. kaki inhibited CoNV development in rats. Our result implies that the ethanol extract of Diospyros kaki does possess anti-angiogenic effect and anti-inflamattory effect which can be applied in various eye diseases.