Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 9, 2026

Author Spotlight: Studying Behavior of Acanthamoeba to Develop Targeted Strategies for Preventing Acanthamoeba Keratitis
07:33

Author Spotlight: Studying Behavior of Acanthamoeba to Develop Targeted Strategies for Preventing Acanthamoeba Keratitis

Published on: September 20, 2024

3.2K

Toxic effects of selected proprietary dry eye drops on Acanthamoeba

Ines Sifaoui1,2, María Reyes-Batlle3, Atteneri López-Arencibia3

  • 1Laboratoire Matériaux-Molécules et Applications, IPEST, B.P 51 2070, University of Carthage, La Marsa, Tunisia. ines.sifaoui@hotmail.com.

Scientific Reports
|June 6, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Systane Ultra eye drops show significant anti-Acanthamoeba activity, offering a potential treatment for Acanthamoeba keratitis. This study evaluated its effectiveness against the pathogen by examining its effects on amoebic cell functions.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Ophthalmology
  • Parasitology

Background:

  • Amoebae of the genus Acanthamoeba are widespread environmental protists.
  • Acanthamoeba infections cause severe human diseases like encephalitis and keratitis.
  • Current treatments for Acanthamoeba infections are inadequate, partly due to the organism's resistant cyst stage.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the efficacy of various over-the-counter eye drops against Acanthamoeba.
  • To identify potential therapeutic agents for Acanthamoeba keratitis, especially in dry eye syndrome patients.

Main Methods:

  • Nine different proprietary eye drop formulations were tested for their anti-Acanthamoeba activity.
  • Systane Ultra was identified as the most effective formulation.
  • Mechanisms of action were investigated, including effects on mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP levels, chromatin condensation, and plasma membrane permeability.

Main Results:

  • Systane Ultra demonstrated the highest activity against all tested Acanthamoeba strains.
  • The eye drop was found to disrupt Acanthamoeba's mitochondrial function and ATP production.
  • Systane Ultra also induced chromatin condensation and increased cell membrane permeability in Acanthamoeba.

Conclusions:

  • Systane Ultra exhibits significant anti-Acanthamoeba properties.
  • Its mode of action involves compromising essential cellular functions of the amoeba.
  • This finding suggests Systane Ultra as a promising candidate for managing Acanthamoeba keratitis, particularly in individuals with dry eye syndrome.

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Challenges in Developing Dry Eye Animal Models and Future Research Directions04:06

Author Spotlight: Challenges in Developing Dry Eye Animal Models and Future Research Directions

Published on: February 9, 2024

2.9K
In Vivo Confocal Microscopy in the Diagnosis and Management of Dry Eye: A Focus on Imaging Protocols and Interpretation08:13

In Vivo Confocal Microscopy in the Diagnosis and Management of Dry Eye: A Focus on Imaging Protocols and Interpretation

Published on: November 11, 2025

550

Related Concept Videos

Frequency-dependent Selection01:21

Frequency-dependent Selection

When the fitness of a trait is influenced by how common it is (i.e., its frequency) relative to different traits within a population, this is referred to as frequency-dependent selection. Frequency-dependent selection may occur between species or within a single species. This type of selection can either be positive—with more common phenotypes having higher fitness—or negative, with rarer phenotypes conferring increased fitness.
24.2K
Dry Friction01:30

Dry Friction

Dry friction occurs between two solid surfaces in contact as they attempt to move relative to one another. In daily life, dry friction is encountered in various forms, such as when walking on the ground, sliding an object across a table, or rubbing hands together. Despite its ubiquity, the underlying mechanisms behind dry friction are not readily visible.
To illustrate this concept, imagine a wooden crate resting on a rough, non-uniform horizontal surface. When an external force is applied to...
996
Drying Shrinkage01:21

Drying Shrinkage

When hardened concrete is exposed to air with a relative humidity of less than 100 percent, it begins to lose the free water within its capillaries. As this water evaporates, the water initially adsorbed onto the calcium silicate hydrates migrates towards these now empty spaces and eventually evaporates as well. Over time, as more water leaves, the volume of the concrete decreases, a phenomenon known as drying shrinkage.
A portion of this drying shrinkage can be reversed; if the concrete is...
385
Excess Pressure Inside a Drop and a Bubble01:13

Excess Pressure Inside a Drop and a Bubble

The shape of a small drop of liquid can be considered spherical, neglecting the effect of gravity. This drop can further be considered as two equal hemispherical drops put together due to surface tension. The forces acting on the spherical drop are due to the pressure of the liquid inside the drop, the pressure due to air outside the drop, and the force due to the surface tension acting on the two hemispherical drops.
3.5K
What is Natural Selection?01:32

What is Natural Selection?

Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.
129.7K
Antibiotic Selection00:57

Antibiotic Selection

Overview
60.1K