Ocular aldehyde dehydrogenase in rodents

The presence of NAD-dependent ocular aldehyde dehydrogenase in rodents is reported. The enzyme is species and strain-dependent. Ocular ALDH possesses a significantly greater specific activity than that of the hepatic tissue of the species studied. d-Amphetamine non-competitively inhibited rat eye ALDH in vitro. Short-term administration of cyclobenzaprine, a tricyclic compound with muscle relaxant property, induced ocular aldehyde dehydrogenase. This is compared with lack of effect of certain CNS-stimulants, ethanol intake and of a monoamine oxidase inhibitor on endogenous ALDH in vivo.