Evaluation of the Putative Efficacy of a Methanolic Extract of Ocimum Basilicum in Preventing Disruption of Structural Proteins in an in Vitro System of Selenite-induced Cataractogenesis

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To evaluate whether a methanolic extract of Ocimum basilicum (OB) leaves prevented lenticular protein alterations in an in-vitro model of selenite-induced cataractogenesis.

Materials and Methods: Transparent lenses extirpated from Wistar rats were divided into three groups: control; selenite only; treated. Control lenses were cultured in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM) alone, selenite only lenses were cultured in DMEM containing sodium selenite only (100 µM selenite/ml DMEM) and treated lenses were cultured in DMEM containing sodium selenite and the methanolic extract of OB leaves (200 µg of extract/ml DMEM); all lenses were cultured for 24 h and then processed. The parameters assessed in lenticular homogenates were lenticular protein sulfhydryl and carbonyl content, calcium level, insoluble to soluble protein ratio, sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic (SDS-PAGE) patterns of lenticular proteins, and mRNA transcript and protein levels of αA-crystallin and βB1-crystallins.

Results: Selenite only lenses exhibited alterations in all parameters assessed. Treated lenses exhibited values for these parameters that were comparable to those noted in normal control lenses.

Conclusions: The methanolic extract of OB leaves prevented alterations in lenticular protein sulfhydryl and carbonyl content, calcium level, insoluble to soluble protein ratio, SDS-PAGE patterns of lenticular proteins, and expression of αA-crystallin and βB1-crystallin gene and proteins in cultured selenite-challenged lenses. OB may be further evaluated as a promising agent for the prevention of cataract.

KEYWORDS:

• Selenite cataract
• antioxidant
• oxidative stress
• protein alterations
• crystallins

Acknowledgments

Financial support provided by the University Grants Commission-Basic Scientific Research - Faculty Fellowship (UGC-BSR-FF) (Ref. No. F. No.18-1/2011 [BSR] Dt. 07.10.2014) to the corresponding author is gratefully acknowledged. Financial support rendered by UGC-BSR-FF scheme to the first author in the form of Project Assistantship is thankfully acknowledged. The instrumentation facility provided by the Department of Science and Technology-Fund for Improvement of Science and Technology Infrastructure (DST-FIST)-Level-I (stage-II) (Ref. No. SR/FST/LSI-647/2015(C) Dt.11.08.2016) of the Department of Animal Science, Bharathidasan University, is also acknowledged.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Supplementary material

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