OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of serum contained Chinese drugs for nourishing Shen and activating blood (S-NSAB) on activity of purified retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) cultured in high glucose medium.

METHODSPurified RGCs of SD rats were cultured in stimulative stable high glucose (50 mmol/L) condition (SHG) and fluctuated glucose condition (FGC) separately, they were intervened with S-NSAB, and the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage was detected by spectrophotometer for estimating the activity of RGCs.

RESULTSLDH leakage (U/L) in SHG culture was 1 349.17 +/- 215.50 at 24 h, 1220.24 +/- 124.53 at 48 h and 1982.14 +/- 219.03 at 72 h, all significantly lower than that in normal control at the corresponding time points (1628.10 +/-122.10, 1484.13 +/- 127.55 and 2155.75 +/- 140.44, respectively, P<0.05), whereas it was obviously higher in FGC culture at 72 h (2299.60 +/- 88.35), showing that LDH leakage in FGC was significantly higher than that in SHG at the corresponding time points (P<0.05). The LDH leakage was obviously decreased by Chinese medicine intervention with S-NSAB both in SHG at 72 h (1797.62 +/- 146.40) and in FGC at 48 h (1259.92 +/- 87.74) and 72 h (1940.40 +/- 155.47), the difference between pre- and post-intervention was significant (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONFluctuated glucose conditions of culture medium could obviously damage the membranous stability of RGCs to enhance their permeability and lower the activity of cells; S-NSAB could improve these abnormalities in either SHG or FGC condition, which may be one of the important mechanisms of Chinese formula for nourishing Shen and activating blood in preventing and treating diabetic retinopathy.