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The objective of this study was to compare the anti-inflammatory effects of NG-nitro L-arginine (L-NAME) and corticosteroid in Concanavalin A-induced uveitis in rats. Sixteen male Wistar rats were used. After general anesthesia, intravitreal 0.1 ml Concanavalin A (100 μg/ml) was injected into the left eyes of the rats. The animals were divided into 3 groups: group 1 (6 animals) received intraperitoneal 0.2 ml L-NAME (200 mg/kg) 1 hour before, 1 day and 3 days after Concanavalin A injection, group 2 (6 animals) received topical 1% prednisolone acetate four times a day for 3 weeks, group 3 (4 animals) received an intraperitoneal injection of 0.2 ml balanced salt solution (BSS) 1 hour before, 1 day and 3 days after Concanavalin A injection, as a control group. Anterior and posterior inflammations were observed with a slit lamp. Three weeks after the last injection, all eyes treated with L-NAME and topical steroid showed significantly reduced anterior chamber inflammation, while eyes which received BSS showed moderate to severe inflammation in both anterior and posterior segments. Both drugs showed no real effect on the vitreous humor at the end of follow up period. In conclusion, our feeling is that topical steroid appears to still be the mainstay therapy for the treatment of anterior uveitis, but nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition might be an alternative to steroids as a second line drug, at least whenever there are any adverse reactions or contraindications to corticosteroid drugs. L-NAME might also be effective on vitreous inflammation with new application methods and concentrations. |
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