Abstract
Purpose::
Tafluprost is a new-generation prostanoid FP-receptor agonist, which is a potent ocular hypotensive agent. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effects of tafluprost, latanoprost and travoprost on optic nerve head (ONH) blood flow in rabbits.
Methods::
Male Dutch rabbits housed under a 12-hour light-dark cycle were used in this study. A quantitative index of blood flow, squared blur rate (SBR), was determined with the laser speckle method. Fifty µL of 0.0015% tafluprost, 0.005% latanoprost or 0.004% travoprost were topically administrated into the left eye once daily for 28 days. The blood flow was measured before treatment and 14 or 28 days after treatment with these prostanoid FP-receptor agonists. Measurement of the ONH blood flow was performed in the same area in each animal during the experiment.
Results::
After 28 days of administering tafluprost, latanoprost and travoprost, the trough SBR values became 111.9 ± 3.9%, 107.2 ± 4.3% and 106.7 ± 3.5% compared with the values before administration, respectively. Sixty minutes after final administration on day 28, the SBR values of tafluprost, latanoprost and travoprost became 116.1 ± 3.5%, 106.1 ± 3.0% and 104.2 ± 3.7% compared with the values before administration, respectively.
Conclusions::
These results indicate that topical administrations of prostanoid FP receptor agonists stably increase the ONH blood flow in rabbits. The magnitude of increase in ONH blood flow produced by tafluprost was greater than that of latanoprost or travoprost.
Keywords: blood supply • optic disc • drug toxicity/drug effects