Ibudilast may improve retinal circulation in patients with diabetes mellitus

Ibudilast selectively vasodilates cerebral vessels without reducing blood pressure. We investigated the effect of the drug on retinal circulation in 8 patients with diabetes mellitus, using the video-densitometric image analysis of fluorescein angiography. We compared the build up time, the time constant of washout rate and the mean circulation time (MCT) before and after oral therapy with ibudilast. After 2 weeks of daily administration (30 mg), MCT was shortened significantly (4.2 +/- 2.8 vs. 3.0 +/- 1.6 s, p = 0.0215). Since retinal circulation in patients with diabetes mellitus was improved by ibudilast, the drug may be useful to treat disorders such as diabetic retinopathy.