Abstract
Purpose :
To evaluate the effects of ethanol extract of Diospyros kaki (EEDK) on dry eye in an exorbital lacrimal gland excision model of mice.
Methods :
Unilateral excision of the exorbital lacrimal gland was performed on BALB/C mice. In order to the effectiveness of the EEDK, it was orally administered throughout the experimental period. We performed tear break-up time (BUT) test, fluorescein staining, and histological analysis on the ocular surface after surgery. The protein expression levels of Mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) and apoptosis-associated proteins (Bax, cytochrome c, and caspase-3) detected by western blotting. Moreover, apoptotic cell death was tested by in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. The squamous epithelium cells were evaluated by the immunohistochemistry (IHC).
Results :
Oral administration of EEDK resulted in prolonged tear break-up time (BUT), decreased fluorescein score, and smoother epithelial cells compared with lacrimal gland excision alone in the cornea. Moreover, down-regulated MUC5AC, up-regulated apoptotic-associated proteins, elevated squamous epithelium cells, and increased apoptotic cells (TUNEL positive cells) were inhibited by treatment with EEDK.
Conclusions :
EEDK has potential as a beneficial agent in the clinical treatment of dry eye.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2017 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Baltimore, MD, May 7-11, 2017.