Two new functions of inositol in the eye lens: antioxidation and antiglycation and possible mechanisms.

The extent of glycation of human eye lens proteins with glucose in presence of added inositol was examined in vitro using [U14C] glucose. Lens homogenate was reacted with varying concentrations of glucose and glucose + inositol. At the end of the reaction, the proteins were precipitated with TCA, centrifuged, dissolved in NaOH and the radioactivity was measured. Inositol decreased the glycation by 57-67%. Pure inositol and glucose suitably labelled with 3H or 14C when reacted and followed by paper chromatography and HPLC showed that glucosyl inositol was present along with unreacted free glucose. Preliminary studies made of the UV spectra of pure inositol (i) when reacted with H2O2 showed that inositol removed H2O2 from the reaction mixture (ii) when reacted with arachidonic acid showed that they formed a conjugate. The observations indicate that the antioxidant property of inositol could be the result of its' quenching action on reactive oxygen, intermediates and conjugate-formation with compounds like arachidonic acid and the antiglycating property due to scavenging of glucose. The antioxidant and the antiglycating properties of inositol may be beneficial in delaying or averting cataract.