Glycyrrhizin could reduce ocular hypertension induced by triamcinolone acetonide in rabbits

PURPOSE To evaluate the hypotensive effects of glycyrrhizin (GL) on a rabbit model of ocular hypertension (OH) induced by triamcinolone acetonide (TA). METHODS Forty New Zealand White Rabbits were divided as follows: control (intravitreal injection of sterile saline solution); GL (intravitreal injection of sterile saline solution, then fed with 25mg GL/day); TA (intravitreal TA injection); TA+GL (intravitreal TA injection, then fed with GL) and GL+TA (pre-treated with GL for 3 days, then got TA injection and the following GL treatment). Intraocular pressure (IOP), flash electroretinogram (flash ERG) and flash visual evoked potential (flash VEP) were measured during the follow-up (28 days). The aqueous humor was analyzed, using (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and principal components analysis (PCA). RESULTS IOP elevation was observed in the TA group during the follow-up, compared to the controls (p<0.01). The IOP was decreased in the TA+GL group and the GL+TA group, compared to the TA group (p<0.05). Both in flash ERG and VEP, the amplitudes were decreased, and the implicit time was prolonged in the TA group, compared to the controls (p<0.05); and the parameters were improved after intervention of GL, compared to the TA group (p<0.05). PCA results indicated that TA could affect ocular metabolism (especially the sugar metabolism), and GL could inhibit it. CONCLUSIONS The administration of GL could suppress OH induced by TA in rabbits, and improve their electrophysiological parameters. Metabolomics is a useful tool in ophthalmology research. Our results indicate that TA-induced ocular metabolism changes could be compensated by GL.