[Effects of L-carnosine in preventing and treating rat cataract induced by sodium selenite]

To explore the effect of L-carnosine in preventing and treating rat cataract induced by sodium selenite.

This was an experimental study. Cataract was induced in the rats by sodium selenite. Rats were divided into 3 groups and each group has 3 ones. L-carnosine eye drops (50 g/L or 20 g/L ) and 0.9% normal saline were respectively instilled to the rat eye for 3 weeks and examined. L-carnosine was added to the medium of cultured rat cataract lens at 1.00, 0.10 and 0.01 g/L for 1 week and then examined. Cataract lens were studied by using two-dimensional electrophoresis.

One week after instillation of L-carnosine, the scores of rat cataract were 2.22 +/- 0.65, 2.39 +/- 0.98 and 2.83 +/- 0.38 in 50 g/L, 20 g/L L-carnosine and control groups, respectively. The lesion in 50 g/L L-carnosine group was lighter than that of the control group. There was significant difference between these two groups (P = 0.013). On the 2nd and 3rd weeks, there was no difference among these three groups. After 1 week for culturing cataract lens, there was no difference between these three groups. The results of two-dimensional electrophoresis showed that the protein number was 182 and 161 in the L-carnosine and control groups, respectively. High molecular weight protein decreased and low molecular weight protein increased in L-carnosine group.

L-carnosine at 50 g/L could restrain the development of early stage rat cataract. L-carnosine could modulate the rat lens protein in vitro, but could not affect lens cataract scores.