Alleviate oxidative stress in diabetic retinopathy: antioxidant therapeutic strategies

Redox Rep. 2023 Dec;28(1):2272386. doi: 10.1080/13510002.2023.2272386. Epub 2023 Dec 2.

Abstract

Objectives: This review outlines the function of oxidative stress in DR and discusses therapeutic strategies to treat DR with antioxidants.

Methods: Published papers on oxidative stress in DR and therapeutic strategies to treat DR with antioxidants were collected and reviewed via database searching on PubMed.

Results: The abnormal development of DR is a complicated process. The pathogenesis of DR has been reported to involve oxidative stress, despite the fact that the mechanisms underlying this are still not fully understood. Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation can damage retina, eventually leading to DR. Increasing evidence have demonstrated that antioxidant therapy can alleviate the degeneration of retinal capillaries in DR.

Conclusion: Oxidative stress can play an important contributor in the pathogenesis of DR. Furthermore, animal experiments have shown that antioxidants are a beneficial therapy for treating DR, but more clinical trial data is needed.

Keywords: Antioxidant; Diabetic retinopathy; Oxidative stress; ROS; hyperglycemia; imbalance; microvascular complication; therapeutic strategies.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / metabolism
  • Antioxidants / therapeutic use
  • Diabetes Mellitus* / drug therapy
  • Diabetic Retinopathy* / drug therapy
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Reactive Oxygen Species

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Reactive Oxygen Species

Grants and funding

This work was supported by University Natural Science Research Project of Anhui Province: [Grant Number 2022AH050743]; National Natural Science Foundation Incubation Program of The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University: [Grant Number 2021GQFY05].