The retinoprotective role of phenytoin

Abstract

Silvia Bartollino,1 Flavia Chiosi,1 Silvio di Staso,2 Maurizio Uva,3 Arduino Pascotto,1 Michele Rinaldi,4 Jan M Keppel Hesselink,5 Ciro Costagliola1 1Eye Clinic, Department of Medicine and Health Sciences “V. Tiberio,” University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy; 2Department of Surgical Science, Ophthalmic Clinic, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy; 3Eye Clinic, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; 4Department of Ophthalmology, University della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy; 5Department of Health, University of Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Germany Abstract: Phenytoin is a non-sedative barbiturate derivate and has been recently rediscovered as a neuroprotective and retinoprotective compound in patients affected by optic neuritis secondary to multiple sclerosis. However, currently there are still no neuroprotective compounds registered and available in the clinic. We reviewed the literature supporting the retinoprotective properties of phenytoin and analyzed the various approaches and definitions from the first research periods onwards. The retinoprotective role of phenytoin was already known in the 1970s, but only recently has this effect been rediscovered, confirming that it could indeed provide structural protection of the retinal cells. Keywords: phenytoin, neuroprotection, retinoprotection, optic neuritis, multiple sclerosis 

Keywords

• phenytoin
• neuroprotection
• retinoprotection
• optic neuritis
• multiple sclerosis.