Frontiers in Nutrition (Mar 2023)

Protective effects of Scoparia dulcis L. extract on high glucose-induced injury in human retinal pigment epithelial cells

  • Heng-Dao Lin,
  • Yuan-Chieh Lee,
  • Yuan-Chieh Lee,
  • Yuan-Chieh Lee,
  • Yuan-Chieh Lee,
  • Chien-Yi Chiang,
  • Yu-Jung Lin,
  • Cheng Yen Shih,
  • Rong-Kung Tsai,
  • Rong-Kung Tsai,
  • Pi-Yu Lin,
  • Shinn-Zong Lin,
  • Shinn-Zong Lin,
  • Tsung-Jung Ho,
  • Tsung-Jung Ho,
  • Tsung-Jung Ho,
  • Chih-Yang Huang,
  • Chih-Yang Huang,
  • Chih-Yang Huang,
  • Chih-Yang Huang,
  • Chih-Yang Huang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2023.1085248
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10

Abstract

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Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a major cause of vision loss in diabetic patients. Hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress and the accumulation of inflammatory factors result in blood-retinal barrier dysfunction and the pathogenesis of DR. Scoparia dulcis L. extract (SDE), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been recently recognized for its various pharmacological effects, including anti-diabetic, anti-hyperlipidemia, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative activities. However, there is no relevant research on the protective effect of SDE in DR. In this study, we treated high glucose (50 mM) in human retinal epithelial cells (ARPE-19) with different concentrations of SDE and analyzed cell viability, apoptosis, and ROS production. Moreover, we analyzed the expression of Akt, Nrf2, catalase, and HO-1, which showed that SDE dose-dependently reduced ROS production and attenuated ARPE-19 cell apoptosis in a high-glucose environment. Briefly, we demonstrated that SDE exhibited an anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory ability in protecting retinal cells from high-glucose (HG) treatment. Moreover, we also investigated the involvement of the Akt/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in SDE-mediated protective effects. The results suggest SDE as a nutritional supplement that could benefit patients with DR.

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