Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Artemesia annua extract prevents glyoxal-induced cell injury in retinal microvascular endothelial cells during glaucoma

Shun Jiang, Qin Wang, Jiawen Ling

Department of Ophthalmology, Zhangjiagang Third Peopleâ€™s Hospital, Zhangjiagang City, Jiangsu 215600, China;

For correspondence:- Jiawen Ling Email: LuanneOhiji@yahoo.com Tel:+8651258441983

Accepted: 22 January 2018 Published: 28 February 2018

Citation: Jiang S, Wang Q, Ling J. Artemesia annua extract prevents glyoxal-induced cell injury in retinal microvascular endothelial cells during glaucoma. Trop J Pharm Res 2018; 17(2):245-251 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v17i2.8

© 2018 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the effect of Artemesia annua extract on glyoxal-induced injury in retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRECs).

Methods: HRECs were cultured in a medium containing 500 µM glyoxal or glyoxal plus 50µM Artemesia annua extract, or in the medium alone for 24 h. Apoptosis was analysed by flow cytometry using annexin V and propidium iodide staining. Changes in mitochondrial membrane potential were determined by JC-1 staining.

Results: When HRECs were cultured in a medium of 500 µM glyoxal, a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in caspase-3 expression was observed. However, treatment of HRECs with Artemesia annua extract (50 µM) inhibited the glyoxal-mediated decrease in caspase-3 expression. The extract also inhibited caspase-3 proteolysis, as was evident from the reduction in the level of cleaved caspase-3. Up-regulation of ROS production by glyoxal in HRECs was inhibited by treatment with the extract. The viability of HRECs was significantly decreased by glyoxal (p < 0.05), but the decrease in viability was significantly reversed by Artemesia annua extract (p < 0.05). The extract also reduced gyloxal-induced apoptosis in HRECs from 17.3 to 2.6 % (p < 0.001). Results from JC-1 staining showed significantly (p < 0.001) higher level of green fluorescence in HRECs cultured with glyoxal. However, the glyoxal-induced increase in green fluorescence level was significantly (p < 0.01) reduced on exposure to Artemesia annua extract.

Conclusion: Artemesia annua extract prevents oxidative damage to HRECs via inhibition of ROS production, up-regulation of caspase-3 expression and suppression of caspase-3 proteolysis. Therefore, Artemesia annua can potentially be used for the development of a new drug for the prevention of retinal injury in glaucoma

Keywords: Artemesia annua, Retinal injury, Glaucoma, Green fluorescence, cleaved caspase-3, ROS production