Prevention of selenite-induced cataractogenesis by hydroalchoholic extract of Echium amoenum: An experimental evaluation of the Iranian traditional eye medication

Cataract is a major health problem and characterized by cloudiness or opacification of the lens of the human eye (1,2). It is the leading cause of blindness and contributes to physiologically 50% of blindness (3). Age related cataract, affecting over 20 million of the nearly 45 million blind people worldwide with the highest incidence occurring in developing countries (1,4,5). Cataractogenesis is a multi-factorial disease associated with several risk factors such as ageing, diabetes, malnutrition, diarrhea, sunlight, smoking, hypertension, and renal failure (6,7). Free radical-induced oxidative stress is an important risk factor in the development of age-related Abstract Echium amoenum is an Iranian indigenous medicinal plant. In this research the effect of hydroalchoholic extract of this plant on sodium-selenite induced cataract formation was evaluated. Fifty five white rat pups were selected and divided into six groups. In first group (control 1) no elements injected. Second group (control 2) was received normal saline on 11-18 postpartum. Hydroalchoholic extract of Echium amoenum flower (400 mg/kg/day) intraperitonealy was injected into third group. Rats in group 4 th received sodium selenite (30 nmol/kg) on day 13 postpartum. In group 5 th , the extract was injected 2 days before selenite injection (once a day for two days). And in last group one day before selenite injection, the rats received a single dose of the extract. Cataract development was measured by slit-lamp. Lens opacification was analyzed in each group on day 7 after selenite administration. All lens in control and 3 th groups were clear. However, it was found different type of cataract grades formation in selenite group (2.2 ± 0.83). Cataract grades were 0.4 ± 0.5 and 0.6 ± 0.5 in groups 5 th and 6 th respectively. Echium amoenum extract significantly was shown a protective effect on selenite-induced cataract in rat. This effect is probably associated with antioxidant activity of this medicinal plant.