Topical Administration of ACE Inhibitor Interrupts the Progression of Cataract in Two Kidney One Clip Induced Hypertensive Cataract Model

ABSTRACT

Purpose

Previously, we assessed that hypertension increases cataractogenesis. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of oral and topical administration of enalapril on two kidney one clip (2K1C)-induced hypertensive cataract model by evaluating the biochemical alteration of lenticular antioxidants, ionic content, ATPase activity, protein content and careful examination of the lenticular opacity.

Materials and Method

Animals were divided into normal and hypertensive animals. Hypertensive animals were divided into hypertensive control group (0.3% CMC), enalapril (oral) treatment group (20 mg/kg/day; p.o), and enalapril (topical) treatment group (0.1% w/v on the eye cornea) for a period of twelve weeks. During experimental study blood pressure, heart rate and morphology of the eyes were monitored biweekly. After twelve weeks, lenses were photographed and various catractogenic biochemical parameters were assessed.

Results

Enalapril (oral) treatment conserved the blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), restored the level of antioxidants, restored the lipid peroxidation marker, nitrite content, ionic content, ATPase function, protein content, and thus delayed the cataract formation. While, enalapril (topical) treatment exhibited anti-cataract effect without affecting the systolic and diastolic blood pressure that could be by restoring the antioxidant level, maintaining the ionic balance, balancing the protein levels, and by inhibiting the upregulated ocular renin angiotensin system. The overall results suggest that enalapril (topical) treatment showed conspicuous effect than enalapril (oral) treatment in adjourning the cataract formation.

Conclusion

Based on the results, it may be concluded that upregulated ocular RAS by increasing oxidative stress and by misbalancing the lenticular ionic and protein content may lead to cataract formation in hypertensive condition.

KEYWORDS:

• Enalapril
• ocular renin angiotensin system
• oxidative stress
• hypertension
• cataract formation

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. The authors are thankful to the Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India, for supporting this study and providing essential facilities from the UGC-SAP and the AYUSH-EMR projects to carry out this study. Amrita Singh is thankful to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for providing her a senior research fellowship (No. 45/17/18-PHA/Toxi/BMS/OL).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author [Surendra H. Bodakhe]. The data are not publicly available due to [restrictions, e.g., their containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants].

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.