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Inhibition of corneal angiogenesis by ascorbic acid in the rat model

  • Laboratory Investigation
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the effect of topically administered ascorbic acid on experimentally induced corneal neovascularization in the rat model.

Materials and methods

Corneal chemical cauterization of 72 eyes in Long-Evans male rats was performed using silver nitrate/potassium nitrate sticks. Nine groups of eight eyes were used to evaluate eight concentrations of ascorbic acid with one group of eight eyes serving as a control. Topical instillation of 100 mg/ml non-pH-neutralized ascorbic acid was performed in one group while the remaining seven groups were evaluated using pH-neutralized ascorbic acid in concentrations of 100 mg/ml, 50 mg/ml, 10 mg/ml, 5 mg/ml, 1 mg/ml, 500 µg/ml, and 250 µg/ml.

Results

The percentage of corneal neovascularization and burn stimulus score was determined for all the eyes. The means of percent of corneal neovascularization in ascorbic acid 100 mg/ml (non-neutralized), 100 mg/ml, 50 mg/ml, 10 mg/ml, 5 mg/ml, 1 mg/ml, 500 μg/ml, 250 μg/ml, and control group were 17.50 ± 12.80 (p = 0.001), 17.00 ± 19.30 (p = 0.001), 15.25 ± 13.26 (p = 0.001), 17.62 ± 11.89 (p = 0.001), 28.87 ± 23.08 (p = 0.001), 29.62 ± 16.91 (p = 0.001), 60.12 ± 8.50 (p = 0.04), 65.62 ± 2.26 (p = 0.185), and 68.25 ± 4.06, respectively (Tables 1 and 2). All animals had a burn score of 2+ or higher (Table 1).

Conclusion

Ascorbic acid applied in a topical solution appears to inhibit corneal neovascularization in the rat model of inflammatory neovascularization in concentrations in a dose-dependent manner. The optimal dose-effect relation was in our model found in concentrations between 1 mg and 500 µg/ml. At concentrations below 500 µg/ml there was no statistically significant inhibition in the degree of corneal neovascularization compared to control.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Arizona, Arizona Health Sciences Center, 655 N. Alvernon Way, Suite 108, Tucson, AZ, 85711, USA

    Gholam A. Peyman, Muhamet Kivilcim & Mandi D. Conway

  2. Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Ana Munoz Morales & John T. DellaCroce

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  1. Gholam A. Peyman
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  2. Muhamet Kivilcim
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  3. Ana Munoz Morales
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  4. John T. DellaCroce
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  5. Mandi D. Conway
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Correspondence to Gholam A. Peyman.

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None of the authors has any proprietary interest in any technique or product described herein.

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Peyman, G.A., Kivilcim, M., Morales, A.M. et al. Inhibition of corneal angiogenesis by ascorbic acid in the rat model. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 245, 1461–1467 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-007-0542-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-007-0542-4

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