Inhibition of Aldose Reductase and Xylose-Induced Lens Opacity by Puerariafuran from the Roots of Pueraria lobata

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High sugar levels found in diabetic cataract cause the opacification of lenses by osmotic changes induced via the aldose reductase (AR)-mediated polyol pathway. In this study, puerariafuran, a 2-arylbenzofuran from Pueraria lobata, investigated the inhibitory effects upon AR, antioxidant contents and enzyme activities in the lens. The effect of puerariafuran on xylose-induced lens opacity was also examined. Puerariafuran showed potential inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 22.34 μM against rat lens AR. The xylose-induced opacity of lenses was significantly improved when treated with puerariafuran. Xylose exposure of rat lenses significantly decreased the reduced glutathione (GSH)/oxidized glutathione (GSSG) ratio, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activity and treatment with puerariafuran significantly increased these factors. These results suggest that puerariafuran may provide a potential therapeutic approach for prevention of diabetic complications, such as cataracts.