[Experimental study of the influence of disturbing factors and chaperone-like drugs on cataractogenesis]

A comparative experimental study of biomicroscopic appearance of lenses in cataracts of different genesis (age-related, ultraviolet and other radiation-induced or combined) has been performed on animals (mice). It is shown that identical lens opacification can be provoked by aging (endogenous factor), as well as ultraviolet and other radiation exposure (exogenous physical factors). The only differential sign is the severity of the damage. These factors can be arranged in the following ascending order by their damaging ability: aging --> ultraviolet --> gamma rays --> gamma rays + ultraviolet. Anti-cataract effect of a chaperone-like combined drug (N-acetylcarnosin and D-pantetin) has been studied in vivo on a "prolonged" model of induced cataract in rats. The use of the combined drug (1:1 mixture of the two peptides) in the form of ocular instillations and intraperitoneal injections helped slowing the progression of the ultraviolet-induced cataract in vivo.