TY - JOUR
T1 - Treatment of Glaucoma with Natural Products and Their Mechanism of Action
T2 - An Update
AU - Sim, Ru Hui
AU - Sirasanagandla, Srinivasa Rao
AU - Teoh, Seong Lin
N1 - Funding Information:
90. European Glaucoma Society Terminology and Guidelines for Glaucoma, 4th Edition—Chapter 3: Treatment principles and options Supported by the EGS Foundation: Part 1: Foreword; Introduction; Glossary; Chapter 3 Treatment principles and options. Acta Br. J. Ophthalmol. 2017, 101, 130–195. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2022/2/1
Y1 - 2022/2/1
N2 - Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness. It is generally caused by increased intraocular pressure, which results in damage of the optic nerve and retinal ganglion cells, ultimately leading to visual field dysfunction. However, even with the use of intraocular pressure-lowering eye drops, the disease still progresses in some patients. In addition to mechanical and vascular dysfunctions of the eye, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and excitotoxicity have also been implicated in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Hence, the use of natural products with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may represent an alternative approach for glaucoma treatment. The present review highlights recent preclinical and clinical studies on various natural products shown to possess neuroprotective properties for retinal ganglion cells, which thereby may be effective in the treatment of glaucoma. Intraocular pressure can be reduced by baicalein, forskolin, marijuana, ginsenoside, resveratrol and hesperidin. Alternatively, Ginkgo biloba, Lycium barbarum, Diospyros kaki, Tripterygium wilfordii, saffron, curcumin, caffeine, anthocyanin, coenzyme Q10 and vitamins B3 and D have shown neuroprotective effects on retinal ganglion cells via various mechanisms, especially antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis mechanisms. Extensive studies are still required in the future to ensure natural products' efficacy and safety to serve as an alternative therapy for glaucoma.
AB - Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness. It is generally caused by increased intraocular pressure, which results in damage of the optic nerve and retinal ganglion cells, ultimately leading to visual field dysfunction. However, even with the use of intraocular pressure-lowering eye drops, the disease still progresses in some patients. In addition to mechanical and vascular dysfunctions of the eye, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and excitotoxicity have also been implicated in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Hence, the use of natural products with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may represent an alternative approach for glaucoma treatment. The present review highlights recent preclinical and clinical studies on various natural products shown to possess neuroprotective properties for retinal ganglion cells, which thereby may be effective in the treatment of glaucoma. Intraocular pressure can be reduced by baicalein, forskolin, marijuana, ginsenoside, resveratrol and hesperidin. Alternatively, Ginkgo biloba, Lycium barbarum, Diospyros kaki, Tripterygium wilfordii, saffron, curcumin, caffeine, anthocyanin, coenzyme Q10 and vitamins B3 and D have shown neuroprotective effects on retinal ganglion cells via various mechanisms, especially antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis mechanisms. Extensive studies are still required in the future to ensure natural products' efficacy and safety to serve as an alternative therapy for glaucoma.
KW - Biological Products/pharmacology
KW - Glaucoma/pathology
KW - Humans
KW - Intraocular Pressure
KW - Neuroprotection
KW - Retinal Ganglion Cells/pathology
KW - Glaucoma
KW - Herbs
KW - Retinal ganglion cells
KW - Traditional medicine
KW - Intraocular pressure
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UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/b592a508-7f8d-3dec-b2c1-a19d54631711/
U2 - 10.3390/nu14030534
DO - 10.3390/nu14030534
M3 - Article
C2 - 35276895
SN - 2072-6643
VL - 14
JO - Nutrients
JF - Nutrients
IS - 3
M1 - 534
ER -