Abstract
[Purpose]Here, we aimed to determine the effect of Polygonum cuspidatum stem extract (PSE) on exorbital lacrimal gland-excised rat models and hyperosmotic stress-stimulated human conjunctival cells (HCCs).[Methods]Seven week old male Wistar rats were divided into six groups. Only the rats in the control group (NOR, n=5) did not undergo surgery. Three days after the surgery, the exorbital lacrimal gland-excised rats were randomly allocated to five groups: (1) vehicle-treated dry-eyed rats (DED, n=5); (2) PSE (10 mg/kg) treated DED rats (PSE-10, n=5); (3) PSE (100 mg/kg) treated DED rats (PSE-100, n=5); and (4) PSE (250 mg/kg) treated DED rats (PSE-250, n=5). In addition, the HCC line was co-treated with hyperosmolar media (528 mOsm) and PSE (1-100 μg/ml).[Results]PSE treatment restored the tear volume and goblet cell density by inhibiting severe corneal irregularities and damage. The treatment with PSE significantly attenuated the hyperosmolar stress-induced inflammation and cell death through the suppression of mRNA expression levels of Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and Interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and the expression of Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) as well as the activation of caspase-3 in vitro.[Conclusion]The inhibitory effects of PSE treatment on dry eye disease indicate the potential of nutritional intervention by PES against inflammatory diseases without adverse effects.
Highlights
Dry eye disease (DED) leads to damage to the ocular surface because of the lack of tears and excessive evaporation of the tear film
It has recently been shown to be a multifactorial disease of the ocular surface that is caused by increased osmotic pressure on the tear film, resulting in eye discomfort, which is accompanied by inflammation of the eye surface, visual impairment, and lack of tears causing instability of the tear film[1,2]
Dry eye is a disorder of the tear film that leads to eye discomfort and irritation, which is caused by the damage to the ocular surface owing to the lack of tears or high evaporation of the tear film[18]
Summary
Dry eye disease (DED) leads to damage to the ocular surface because of the lack of tears and excessive evaporation of the tear film. The tears can cause dry eyes in two ways: through the lack of tears and because of the abnormal tear layer; often, both of these occur together and lead to dry eyes[3]. DED is a common disease, from which over 40 million people suffer globally[4]. The prevalence of DED continues to increase due to several causes, including increased air conditioner use, air pollution, television viewing, increased time on computers, increased use of contact lenses, more refractive surgeries, and an increasing number of elderly people[6,7]. The treatment for dry eye disease includes the use of artificial eye drops, anti-inflammatory drugs, and surgical methods, but the basic treatment remains incomplete and has disadvantages and various side effects
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