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Updated: Jun 26, 2026
Use of Rabbit Eyes in Pharmacokinetic Studies of Intraocular Drugs
Published on: July 23, 2016
Ciliary body toxicity of subconjunctival suramin compared with mitomycin-C in the rabbit eye: determining the toxic
Altug Cetinkaya1, Ahmet Akman, Gulnur Take
1Department of Ophthalmology, Başkent University, Ankara, Turkey. altugcetinkaya@yahoo.com
Background/Aims:
To evaluate the safety of suramin compared with mitomycin-C (MMC) as an adjunctive agent in trabeculectomy by determining its ciliary body toxicity at predetermined effective dosages in rabbit eyes.
Methods:
Thirty-two New Zealand albino rabbits received either suramin (200, 300, 400, or 800 mg/ml) or MMC (0.2, 0.3, 0.4, or 0.8 mg/ml) injections subconjunctivally in the right eye. Enucleations were performed on the 1st, 3rd, 7th and 28th day. Untreated left eyes were injected with balanced salt solution and served as controls. The injection-exposed ciliary body specimens were processed to be investigated under the light microscope and transmission electron microscope.
Results:
There was no pathologic abnormality in specimens under light microscopy. The morphologic evaluation with transmission electron microscopy showed severe changes in structure, except for eyes treated with 200 mg/ml suramin and 0.2 mg/ml of MMC. These changes were more prominent in eyes exposed to MMC, and appeared earlier compared to suramin-treated eyes.
Conclusions:
Suramin 200 mg/ml and MMC 0.2 mg/ml seem to be comparatively nontoxic to the ciliary body of the rabbit eye. Concentrations higher than these values caused severe damage.
Insights
Suramin and mitomycin-C (MMC) were compared for ciliary body toxicity in rabbit eyes. Low doses of both agents were found to be relatively safe, while higher concentrations caused significant damage.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Toxicology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Trabeculectomy is a surgical procedure to treat glaucoma.
- Adjunctive agents like mitomycin-C (MMC) are used to enhance surgical outcomes.
- The safety profile of alternative agents, such as suramin, requires investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the ciliary body toxicity of suramin and MMC.
- To evaluate safety at predetermined effective dosages in a rabbit model.
- To assess the potential of suramin as an alternative adjunctive agent in trabeculectomy.
Main Methods:
- New Zealand albino rabbits received subconjunctival injections of varying concentrations of suramin or MMC.
- Ciliary body specimens were collected on days 1, 3, 7, and 28 post-injection.
- Histopathological analysis was performed using light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.
Main Results:
- Light microscopy revealed no significant abnormalities in any group.
- Transmission electron microscopy showed severe ciliary body structural damage with higher concentrations of both suramin and MMC.
- The lowest tested concentrations (suramin 200 mg/ml and MMC 0.2 mg/ml) exhibited minimal toxicity.
- MMC induced more severe and earlier-onset changes compared to suramin at equivalent higher concentrations.
Conclusions:
- Suramin at 200 mg/ml and MMC at 0.2 mg/ml appear to be comparatively non-toxic to the rabbit ciliary body.
- Higher concentrations of both suramin and MMC result in significant ciliary body damage.
- These findings suggest suramin may be a safer alternative adjunctive agent in trabeculectomy, warranting further clinical investigation.
