Effects of moxaverine and placebo on ocular blood flow

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: A number of eye diseases are associated with perfusion abnormalities. Moxaverine, because of its known direct vasodilator effect, is used in the therapy of perfusion abnormalities in the brain, the heart and the extremities. The present study aimed to investigate whether moxaverine affects ocular blood flow. Methods: 16 healthy volunteers were studied in this randomized, double masked, placebo‐controlled twoway crossover study. Moxaverine (Ursapharm, Saarbrücken, Germany, 150mg) was administered intravenously over 30 minutes. Ocular hemodynamic parameters were measured before and up to 90 minutes after drug administration. Retinal arterial and venous diameters were measured with a Retinal Vessel Analyzer. Retinal blood velocity (RBV) was assessed with laser Doppler velocimetry, choroidal (CF) and optic nerve head blood flow (ONF) were measured with laser Doppler flowmetry. Results: RBV and ONF tended to increase by 13.6±13.3% and 11.8±12.7% respectively after administration of moxaverine, but this effect was not significant versus placebo. Moxaverine increased significantly CF by 22.6±27.9%. In retinal veins moxaverine induced vasodilation (2.6±2.8%), but this effect was not significant versus placebo. Retinal blood flow increased after infusion of moxaverine (19.6±16.5%), but again this effect did not reach the level of significance most likely due to the small numbers of subjects. Conclusions: The present study indicates an increase in ocular blood flow after systemic infusion of a single dose of moxaverine in healthy subject. Further studies are warranted to investigate whether this effect can also be seen after repeated dose treatment in patients with ocular vascular disease.