Cataract is one of the leading causes of visual disability often leading to blindness in the elderly population. One of the causes is oxidation of proteins present in lens, by hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)). In the present study 100 goat lenses were analyzed to determine the protective efficacy of ketoacids, against the oxidative insult by H(2)O(2). The ketoacids used were (pyruvate, alpha ketoglutarate and oxaloacetate), that are constantly produced endogenously. The lenses were incubated as control and experimental groups in TC-199 media for 72 hrs. H(2)O(2) concentration of 10mM was used to induce cataract. The biochemical parameters measured were levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation product and activity of glutathione peroxidase (G-Px), an enzymatic antioxidant. The results showed a significant increase in the levels of MDA and significant decrease in the activity of G-Px in the cataractous lenses as compared to control. After addition of ketoacids (pyruvate (10mM), alpha ketoglutarate (20mM) and oxaloacetate (20mM)) separately, the levels of MDA decreased significantly and the activity of G-Px increased significantly. The results suggest that the ketoacids can be very promising antioxidants for the treatment of cataract. They may also be useful in treating other disabilities related to acute and chronic oxidative stress.
Keywords: antioxidant; cataract; ketoacids; oxidative stress.