Iatrogenic dry eye disease: an eledoisin/carnitine and osmolyte drops study.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effects of an eye drop containing eledoisin and carnitine in patients suffering from primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and ocular discomfort syndrome secondary to a chronically treated with eye drops containing benzalkonium chloride (BAK) as preservative. The dry eye disease was defined as a multifactorial drop disease concerning tears and ocular surface, which brings to discomfort symptoms and visual disorders with potential damage to the ocular surface. Several studies underlined the beneficial effects of secretagogues drugs, such as eledoisin. It is a neuro-peptide extracted from the salivary glands of some shellfishes. Recently, it has been also showed the protective role of carnitine in respect of the ocular surface exposed to the tear film hyperosmolarity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized double-blind pilot study has been evaluated by lubricant eye drop solutions containing eledoisin and carnitine in 40 patients with ocular discomfort syndrome secondary to POAG, since that the patients were chronically treated with eye drops which decrease eye pressure and contain BAK as preservative. The subjects filled out a questions form concerning the severity of the symptoms and their impact on daily activities. Subsequently Fluorescein Breakup Time (FBUT), Schirmer Test 1 (ST), and Ocular Protection Index (OPI) were measured at baseline and after 15days of treatment. RESULTS: At the end of therapy it was possible to match the beneficial effects of eye drops with carnitin, taurine, sodium hyaluronate and eledoisin. In fact, after 15days of treatment, patients of group 1 showed a decrease of approximately 50% concerning the severity of symptoms and a significant improvement of the tests valued. CONCLUSION: In summary, lubricant eye drops that restore physiological hosmolarity and stimulate tear production represent a promising strategy for dry eye syndrome.

[Treatment of a severe course of keratoconjunctivitis sicca with eledoisin]. / Die Behandlung schwerer Verlaufsformen der Keratoconjunctivitis sicca mit Eledoisin.

Cases of keratoconjunctivitis sicca with keratitis filiformis (with and without Sjögren's syndrome) with severe courses cannot be treated adequately with artificial tears. Only since the discovery of Eledoisin, which was introduced for ophthalmological therapy by Bietti, has a drug been available which directly stimulates tear secretion. Eledoisin was discovered in the salivary glands of certain Mediterranean species of octopus and can meanwhile be produced synthetically. A randomized study conducted at the University clinics in Heidelberg, Cologne, and Ulm showed that Eledoisin is significantly superior if the statistics are based on cases with severe courses. Cases with less severe courses also respond well to therapy with artificial tears.

[Peptide therapy of sleep disorders in neurotic rats]. / Peptidnaia terapiia rasstroistv sna u nevrotizirovannykh krys.

As a result of chronic stress, anxiety appeared in the rats behaviour, motor activity increased, heart rate quickened, blood pressure raised, conditioned instrumental alimentary reflexes missed, the duration of deep phases of sleep lowered, time of falling asleep became longer, the number of awakening increased. The change in quantitative characteristics of sleep was accompanied by its worsening, especially of rapid sleep. Administration of substance P (SP) eledoisin hexopeptide (EH) (250 mcg/kg), 100-200 mcg/kg of delta sleep peptide and 10 mcg/kg of ethylcrotyl barbiturate improved the rats behaviour and sleep parameters. Calipnon accelerated falling asleep. Delta sleep peptide increased sleep duration. SP and EH restored not only the quantitative characteristics of deep phases of sleep but greatly improved their quality: lowered the blood pressure disrupted tachycardia, normalized the conditioned activity.