Retinitis pigmentosa is a genetic condition characterized by the breakdown and gradual loss of cells in the retina.
The retina is the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye. The function of the retina is to convert the light received into neural signals before sending them to the brain for visual recognition.
Most cases of retinitis pigmentosa are diagnosed during the teenage years and at birth. Some patients who carry the genetic preposition may develop the disease in later years.
The later diagnosed case is usually mild with slow progression compared to those presented in the teen years and at birth.
The most common symptoms of patients with retinitis pigmentosa are difficulty seeing at night and a loss of side (peripheral) vision. However, as the disease progress into the later stage, most patients also experience tunnel vision.
Conventionally, the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa is totally depending on the condition. The aim of treatment is to slow vision loss and improve the patient's quality of life.
Bilberry is a species of low-growing shrubs in the genus Vaccinium, belonging to the family Ericaceae, native to Northern Europe.
The plant berry has been used as herbs in traditional medicine for the treatment of acute and chronic diarrhea, gastritis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, enterocolitis, ulcerative colitis, anemia, cystitis, kidney disease, psoriasis, diabetes, etc.
Researchers on finding a natural compound for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa with no side effects examined the effects of Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and lingonberry (Vacciniumvitis-idaea) containing high amounts of polyphenols (anthocyanins, resveratrol, and proanthocyanidins) against blue light a high-energy or short-wavelength visible light-induced retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.
According to the results from the cultured murine photoreceptor (661 W) cells exposed to blue LED light following treatment with B-ext, L-ext, or their constituents (cyanidin, delphinidin, malvidin, trans-resveratrol, and procyanidin B2), B-ext, L-ext, NAC, and their active components improved the viability of 661 W cells against the blue light damage.
The efficacy was found to be attributed to the injection of tested compounds in inhibiting the generation of intracellular ROS induced by blue LED light irradiation.
Furthermore, B-ext and L-d also protected the cells' integrity against the activation of proteins by stimuli associated with the production of proinflammatory cytokines.
Moreover, B-ext, L-ext, and NAC inhibited proteins involved in cell death and autophagy against cells damaged by blue light.
Dr. Ogawa K the lead scientist said, "These findings suggest that B-ext and L-ext containing high amounts of polyphenols exert protective effects against blue LED light-induced retinal photoreceptor cell damage mainly through inhibition of ROS production and activation of pro-apoptotic proteins".
In a murine model of the photo-stressed retina, researchers examined the bilberry extract through a stomach tube in Balb/c mice (750 mg/kg body weight) with light-induced visual function impairment.
According to the tested assays, bilberry extract suppressed photo-induced apoptosis in the photoreceptor cell layer and shortening of the outer segments of rod and cone photoreceptors.
Bilberry extracts also reduced the levels of photo-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS), and oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers observed by the analysis.
In other words, bilberry inhibited the ER stress in the retina, and at least in part, in Müller glial cells.
Based on the findings, researchers suggested, "bilberry extract attenuates photo-induced apoptosis and visual dysfunction most likely, and at least in part, through ROS reduction, and subsequent ER stress attenuation in the retina".
Taken altogether, bilberry-processed abundantly bioactive compounds may be considered a functioning remedy for the prevention and treatment of age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa, pending the validation of a larger sample size and multicenter human study.
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Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton (Scholar, Master of Nutrition, All right reserved)
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published online, including worldwide health, ezine articles, article base, health blogs, self-growth, best before it's news, the Karate GB Daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada - Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as the international journal Pharma and Bioscience, ISSN 0975-6299.
References
(1) Protective effects of bilberry and lingonberry extracts against blue light-emitting diode light-induced retinal photoreceptor cell damage in vitro by Ogawa K, Kuse Y, Tsuruma K, Kobayashi S, Shimazawa M, Hara H1. (PubMed)
(2) Neuroprotective effect of bilberry extract in a murine model of the photo-stressed retina by Osada H1, Okamoto T1,2, Kawashima H1,2, Toda E1, Miyake S1,3, Nagai N1,2, Kobayashi S3, Tsubota K2, Ozawa Y. (PubMed)
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