Abstract
Purpose: :
Anti-oxidative supplements are thought to decrease oxidative damages and prevent age-related ocular diseases. In this study, changes of peroxidative status in aqueous humor before and after intake of anti-oxidative supplement were measured and sex-differentiated .
Methods: :
Ten patients of binocular cataract were included. Aqueous humor was sampled during cataract surgery (as pre-intake aqueous humor). Anti-oxidative supplement, Ocuvite® was applied from the following day. Six weeks later, aqueous humor was sampled (as post-intake aqueous humor) during cataract surgery for fellow eye. As indicators of peroxidative status, the levels of superoxide scavenging activity (O2•- scavenger, by a NBT reducing method) and the amounts of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, by a color method of oxidized titan) were measured. The ratio of H2O2 to superoxide scavenging activity (H2O2/O2•- scavenger) was also evaluated.
Results: :
Post-intake levels of superoxide scavenging activity and the amounts of H2O2 in aqueous humor were both significantly higher than pre-intake ones. The amounts of H2O2 in post-intake aqueous humor positively correlated with those in pre-intake aqueous humor. The levels of superoxide scavenging activity and the amounts of H2O2 in both pre-and post-intake aqueous humor were significantly different between female and male patients. The amounts of H2O2 in both pre-and post-intake aqueous humor were significant higher in female than male patients. The levels of H2O2/O2•- scavenger were lower in post-intake compared to pre-intake aqueous humor in both female and male patients.
Conclusions: :
Anti-oxidative supplement was presumed to increase the activity of superoxide and H2O2 scavenging systems. However, the H2O2 scavenging system activity was presumed to be less increased. It is the possible reason for the higher levels of H2O2 in post-intake aqueous humor. Therefore, scavenging agents for H2O2 might be also necessary for protecting eyes against oxidative damages. From the above results, the effects of antioxidative supplements are presumed to be different between males and females. Further survey is strongly recommended.
Keywords: cataract • antioxidants