Role of Free radicals and enzymatic antioxidants levels in cataractogenesis A comparative study among diabetic and non diabetic cataract patients

Abstract

Cataract is clouding of the natural lens and occurs of two to three times more frequently newlinein patients with diabetes Diabetes mellitus which currently affects more than 62 million people newlinein India has a strong association with early onset of cataract This study evaluates the alterations in the levels of lipid peroxidation markers protein oxidation product enzymatic antioxidants and morphological features in diabetic cataract patients and compared with non diabetic cataract patients The levels of 8 Isoprostaglandin F2alpha Malondialdehye Conjugated diene Advanced oxidation protein products and the activity of Superoxide dismutase Glutathione peroxidase were measured both in the lenses and aqueous humour The results show significantly higher concentrations these markers as well as decreased enzymatic activity in diabetic cataract when compared to non diabetic cataracts The SEM images showed morphological differences in the cortex and nucleus part of both lenses The study concludes that oxidation process gets accelerated with high plasma glucose level enhancing the lens opacity and the leakage of markers from the lens to aqueous humour These markers could play a major role in the formation of diabetic cataract by damaging the lens phospholipids and lens proteins leading to protein aggregation and lens opacity newline newline