Effects of N-acetylcarnosine on Lens Opacities in Diabetic Rats with Cataract

THE PRESENT study evaluates the effect of 1%N-acetylcarnosinex\ (NAC) solution on lens protein in diabetic cataractous rat. Diabetes is induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) and maintained on hyperglycemia for a follow up periods of 1, 3, 5 and 7 weeks. The animals are classified as control, NAC treated group after STZ induced diabetic cataract and NAC treated group before and after STZ induced diabetic cataract. After the estimated periods, levels of soluble lens protein, refractive index (RI), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidative capacity are estimated. Further, lens protein conformation changes are analyzed by FTIR spectroscopy. Diabetic cataract significantly decreases the protein level in soluble fraction of lens. Whereas the refractive index is decreased for all diabetic rat lenses. Moreover, diabetic cataract strongly enhances the enhancement of total oxidant capacity (TOC) and decrement in (TAC) with appearance of conformational change in protein assessed by FTIR spectroscopy. Treatment of cataractous lens with NAC before and after STZ induced diabetic cataract in rat suggests better improvement in lens clarity than treatment only after cataract induction. 1% NAC has potential as an in vivo antioxidant because of its ability to give effective protection against cataract and oxidative stress when applied with different techniques of ocular administration.