Recently substances possessing antioxidant can prevent cataractogenesis of diabetic cataract. lens opacification MDA level and the activities of SOD CAT GPx and AR in lens were performed. The results showed that both medium and high doses of extract decreased lens opacity together with the decreased MDA level. In addition medium dose of draw out improved GPx activity while the high dose decreased AR activity. No additional significant changes were observed. The purple waxy corn seeds draw out is the potential candidate to protect against diabetic cataract. The mechanism of action may occur via the decreased oxidative stress and the suppression of AR. However further study in vivo is still essential. 1 Intro Cataract a visual impairment induced by optical dysfunction of crystallin lens is an important complication of diabetic patients. It has been identified as a major cause of blindness in developed and developing countries [1]. The prevalence is definitely continuously improved together with the improved amount of diabetic patients [2]. It also generates a great impact on annual health care budget [3]. Therefore the preventive strategy against diabetic cataract in diabetic patients is regarded as Rabbit Polyclonal to ENTPD1. a challenge with this decade. Oxidative stress has been reported to be associated with diabetes mellitus and its complications [4]. Under normal circumstance the harmful effect of oxidative stress is definitely neutralized in lens by both enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants. However the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) the main important enzymatic antioxidants in lens of diabetic cataract are decreased. The decrease of antioxidant enzymes described earlier appears to perform a pivotal part within the elevation of oxidative stress and cataractogenesis of diabetic cataract [5]. Several lines of evidence have shown that flavonoids the important phenolic compounds in fruits & vegetables exert the protecting effect against cataractogenesis of diabetic cataract [6 7 Recent evidence also demonstrates aldose reductase (AR) a key enzyme in polyol pathway also takes on the crucial part within the cataractogenesis in diabetic condition [8]. The suppression of aldose reductase activity either by synthetic compounds or by natural flavonoids can protect against BMS-387032 cataractogenesis of diabetic cataract [9]. Based on the crucial part of oxidative stress and aldose reductase on cataractogenesis of diabetic cataract and the beneficial effect of flavonoids the prophylactic effect of flavonoids rich compound against diabetic cataract offers gained attention. L. (purple waxy corn) a flower in a family of Poaceae is an important source of anthocyanins. Previous studies have shown that the main ingredient of water draw out is definitely anthocyanin whereas the main ingredients in non-polar solvent are phenolic acids such as p-coumaric vanillic acid protocatechuic acids flavonoids such as quercetin and a hesperitin derivatives [10]. Usage of hydroalcoholic draw out of purple corn is safe up to 3.5?g·kg?1 [11]. In addition flavonoids including quercetin the active ingredient in L. (purple waxy corn) also suppress aldose reductase inhibitory activity and efficiently delay the cataractogenesis in diabetic condition [12 13 Based on the beneficial effects of anthocyanins and quercetin described earlier we hypothesized that hydroalcoholic draw out of purple waxy corn the compound which is rich in anthocyanins and flavonoids including quercetin could BMS-387032 mitigate the cataractogenesis in diabetic condition. Regrettably no data is definitely available until now. Therefore with this study we aimed BMS-387032 to determine the anticataract effect of hydroalcoholic draw out of purple waxy corn in experimental diabetic BMS-387032 cataract. 2 Materials and Methods 2.1 Flower Material and Draw out Preparation Dried seeds of purple waxy corn or L. (KKU open pollinated cultivar) during September 2012 were used in this study. Flower materials were authenticated by Associate Kamol Lertrat and Dr. Bhalang Suriharn Faculty of Agriculture Khon Kaen University or college Khon Kaen Thailand. After becoming authenticated the herbarium specimen was kept in the Integrative Complementary Alternate Medicine Khon Kaen University or college (voucher.