X-Message-Number: 23812
Date: Sun, 4 Apr 2004 20:27:23 -0700 (PDT)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: reversal treatment for presbyopia and cataracts?

(Green tea eye drops might help reverse presbyopia by reducing lens
thickness.)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Yan Ke Xue Bao. 2000 Sep;16(3):194-8.
Growth inhibition, induction of apoptosis by green tea constituent
(-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate in cultured rabbit lens epithelial cells.

	PURPOSE: To evaluate effect of green tea extract
(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in cultured rabbit lens epithelial
cells in order to pave a new way to postcapsular opacity (PCO)
prevention. METHODS: Cell survival rate was measured by
3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT)
coloimetric assay. Cell apoptosis was detected by electron microscopy,
Hochest 33258 stain and flow cytometer. DNA fragment was detected using
agarose gel electrophoresis. RESULT: Proliferation of the cultured rabbit
lens epithelia cells was inhibited by EGCG in a dose and time dependent
manner. Morphologic study showed that the cells became shrunk, round
shaped with their nuclei condensed and broken. Apoptotic bodies were also
seen under electron microscope and in Hochest 33258 stain assay 24 hours
after EGCG was added to the medium. DNA ladders were shown in agarose
gel electrophoresis. In flow cytometry assay, apoptosis peak was also
evident. CONCLUSION: Green Tea Constituent(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate
could inhibit cultured rabbit lens epithelial cells proliferation by
inducing their apoptosis in the concentration used by us, which indicates
that it is possible to prevent PCO by using herb extract.

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