Ege Journal of Medicine

Abstract

In this our study, we try to determine whether taurine has anticataractogenic action by the levels of glutathione (GSH) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) in vitro glucose-catarct induced rabbit lenses. With this aim. lens samples were divided into two parts as cortex and nucleus, then the GSH and LPO levels were determined under the headings of control, cataract and taurine study groups According to our results, in the nucleus samples the GSH levels in the cataract and taurine groups showed no remarkable differences as compared to the controls (respectively p=0.413 and p=0.792). however, in the cortex samples the GSH levels in the cataract group decreased significantly relative to the controls (p=0.033). There was no considerable difference between the GSH levels in the taurine and the control groups of the cortex samples (p=0.295). Concerning the LPO levels, the control, cataract and taurine groups of the nucleus samples displayed no significant differences, whereas in the cortex samples, the cataract group was found to have significantly increased LPO levels as compared to the controls (p=0.022). On the other hand. LPO levels of the taurine group tended to yield similar results to those of the control group. According to GSH and LPO results in the taurine groups, it can be postulated that taurine may protect lens membrane lipids against oxidative destruction. In conclusion, it may be postulated that taurine is an anticataractogenic substance.