Russian scientists under supervision of academician Vladimir Skulachev have showed that SkQ antioxidant, aimed at fighting ageing processes, was able to treat age-related ophthalmological illnesses in laboratory animals, since no tests on human beings were performed yet. The compound, named SkQ, could treat mentioned diseases in rats and rabbits, as well as restore eyesight in horses, cats and dogs.

The fact that eyesight gets worse with age, is widely known. Age-related eye illnesses include glaucoma, macular dystrophy, various forms of retinopathy, cataract and age-related long-sightedness. Scientists are aware that one of the main causes for mentioned diseases is accumulation of free oxygen radicals in an organism. These radicals are toxic and are considered to cause organism’s ageing.

SkQ antioxidant is a result of many years of the research. This compound slows down the devastating effect of active oxygen and stops up to 20 ageing symptoms. The molecule properties are still being tested; however, it showed great effect in treating and preventing eyesight dysfunctions.

The research has been performed in several research institutions: Belozersky Institute of Physical and Chemical Biology, Moscow Institute of Eye Pathologies, the Institute of Developmental Biology, Moscow State Veterinary Academy, Centre of Mitoengineering and Faculty of Bioinformatics and Bioengineering of Moscow State University, and Novosibirsk Institute of Cytology and Genetics. The antioxidant was first tested on rats and rabbits.

Cataract is an illness leading to lenticular opacity, while retinopathy affects eye retina due to failure of blood supply. Researchers performed experiments on prematurely ageing rat line OXYS, which are known to be a good model for studying cataract. Rodent got SkQ1 with food every day, and small doses (50 nanomol per kilogram per day) of the substance prevented cataract and retinopathy, while larger doses, 250 nanomol, for instance, cured mentioned eyesight dysfunctions in rats aged 3-12 months.

 

 

Further studies revealed that SkQ can prevent such ophthalmological diseases as uveitis and glaucoma. Uveitis is an inflammation of eye chloroid, while glaucoma is linked with excessive intraocular pressure. New Zealand rabbits, aged 6 months, received eye drops with 250 nanomol SkQ1 – four drops per day, and developed no uveitis. One drop of 5 micromol SkQ1 per day prevented glaucoma development in these animals.

Well, scientists work not only on rats and rabbits – they tried to introduce their innovation to veterinary and treat other animals. 271 animal patients received SkQ1, among them cats, dogs and horses, suffering from various eyesight disorders. 242 animals felt better. 91 animals were born blind, however, the compound helped them to start seeing. Scientists miraculously didn’t detect any unwanted side effects or cases in which SkQ lost its effectiveness.

What is the reason for such promising results of SkQ treatment of eye pathologies? Scientists believe eye retina to be a tissue, greatly damaged with active oxygen forms. Mitochondria of the retina contain significant amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are known to be main target for oxidation. SkQ compound neutralized “bad oxygen” and protect eye tissues from being damaged.

Source: Vechnaya Molodost.ru

Kizilova Anna