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Acetyl-L-carnitine prevents selenite-induced cataractogenesis in an experimental animal model
R Elanchezhian1, E Ramesh, M Sakthivel
1Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tamil Nadu, India.
Purpose:
To investigate whether acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) retards selenite-induced cataractogenesis in vivo.
Methods:
On postpartum day 10, group I pups received intraperitoneal saline and group II and group III pups received subcutaneous sodium selenite; Group III pups also received intraperitoneal ALCAR once daily on postpartum days 9-14. Both eyes of each pup were examined up to postpartum day 30. After sacrifice, extricated pup lenses were analyzed for antioxidant and redox system components.
Results:
There was dense lenticular opacification in all group II pups, minimal opacification in 33% of group III pups, and no opacification in 67% of group III and in all group I pups. Group II lenses exhibited significantly lower values of antioxidant and redox system components and higher malondialdehyde concentrations than group I or group III lenses.
Conclusion:
ALCAR prevents selenite-induced cataractogenesis in Wistar rat pups, possibly by inhibiting depletion of antioxidant enzyme and redox system components and inhibiting lipid peroxidation.
