[Research of daunomycin as an agent for preventing posterior capsule opacification]

To investigate the inhibitory activity and the effective concentration of daunomycin against the proliferation of lens epithelial cells in vitro, and make progress in pharmacological prevention of posterior capsule opacification.

Cultured bovine, rabbit and human lens epithelial cells were exposed to 0.5, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0 micrograms/ml daunomycin solution for ten minutes. Growth of cells was observed, after 48 hours of exposure, absorbency of the cells was tested by using Giemsa staining and colorimetry, and the median lethal dose (LD50) was calculated respectively.

Daunomycin significantly suppressed the proliferation of bovine, rabbit and human lens epithelial cells in vitro, showing dose-dependent manner. Daunomycin can effectively inhibit the proliferation of human lens epithelial cells at the concentration of 0.5 microgram/ml, almost reaching the greatest effect at the concentration of 7.5 micrograms/ml. The calculated LD50 for bovine, rabbit and human lens epithelial cells was 0.49, 4.30 and 4.06 micrograms/ml respectively.

Short time exposure of daunomycin at low concentration can effectively inhibit the proliferation of lens epithelial cells in vitro, after further research in vivo, daunomycin may possibly become a valuable agent for the prevention of posterior capsule opacification.