subject: MAINTENANCE OF HUMAN LENS EPITHELIAL CELLS IN TISSUE CULTURE [print this page] The study was carried out to evaluate the anti-cataract potentialof aqueous extract of Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi) leaves againstselenite induced oxidative stress in vitro and in vivo. Young ratlenses were distributed into 3 groups of normal, control andtreated. Effect of Ocimum sanctum (70-280 mg/ml) was studiedon the development of the opacity and on related biochemicalparameters. Oxidative stress was induced by incorporatingsodium selenite (100 mM) in TC-199 media. Lenses were incubatedin a 24 well Falcon plate at 37o C with 5% CO2 for 24 h.Thereafter, lenses were washed, weighed and processed forestimation of glutathione, malondialdehyde, soluble and insolubleprotein. Enzyme activities viz. catalase, glutathione peroxidaseand glutathione-S-transferase were measured in the lenses in aseparate set of similar experiment. For in-vivo studies Ocimumsanctum leaf extract (10 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally6h prior to administration of 0.25 mmole of sodium selenite perpup subcutaneously on the 10th postnatal day. Pups of bothgroups were sacrificed on day 1, 2, 3 and 4 post injection, lenseswere dissected out and processed for protein estimation andSDS PAGE. The opacity was monitored from 14th postnatal dayonwards on a slit lamp. Faint opacity was observed at theconcentration of 140 and 280 mg/ml in the treated group incomparison to the opacity in the control group. Incidence ofcataract was found to be 100 and 60% in the control and treatedgroup respectively. Marked difference in SDS PAGE profile wasnoticed in control and treated groups. Ocimum sanctum alsopositively modulated antioxidant parameters. It is concluded thatOcimum sanctum showed anti-cataract potential both in in vivoand in vitro experimental models of cata-ractogenesis.
MAINTENANCE OF HUMAN LENS EPITHELIAL CELLS IN TISSUE CULTURE
