Research advances on the usage of traditional Chinese medicine for neuroprotection in glaucoma  

作　　者：Xue-song Mi Jing-xiang Zhong Raymond Chuen-Chung Chang Kwok-Fai So 

机构地区：[1]Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital [2]Department of Anatomy, and the State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong [3]Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Institute of Central Neural System Regeneration, Jinan University

出　　处：《Journal of Integrative Medicine》2013年第4期233-240,共8页结合医学学报（英文版）

基　　金：supported in part by a General Research Fund grant from Hong Kong Research Grant Council,National Basic Research Program of China Grant (No.2011CB707501);the Fundamental Research Funds for The Central Universities Grant (No.21609101);the Cultivation and Innovation Fund from Jinan University (No.21613311);the Cultivation and Innovation Fund from the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University (No.2013203)

摘　　要：Progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells （RGCs） and their axons is the main pathogenesis of glaucoma. The cause of glaucoma is not fully understood, but the neurodegeneration of glaucoma involves many mechanisms such as oxidative stress, glutamate toxicity and ischemia/ reperfusion insult. In order to target these mechanisms, multiple neuroprotective interventions have been investigated to prevent the death of RGCs. Of note are some tonic herbs from the traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） pharmacopeia that have shown neuroprotective effects in glaucoma. TCM differs from Western medicine in that TCM exhibits complicated bioactive com- ponents, triggering many signaling pathways and extensive actions on vital organs. Modern scientific approaches have demonstrated some of their underlying mechanisms. In this review, we used Lycium barbarum and Ginkgo biloba as examples to elaborate the characteristics of TCM and their potential applications in neuroprotection in glaucoma.Progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells （RGCs） and their axons is the main pathogenesis of glaucoma. The cause of glaucoma is not fully understood, but the neurodegeneration of glaucoma involves many mechanisms such as oxidative stress, glutamate toxicity and ischemia/ reperfusion insult. In order to target these mechanisms, multiple neuroprotective interventions have been investigated to prevent the death of RGCs. Of note are some tonic herbs from the traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） pharmacopeia that have shown neuroprotective effects in glaucoma. TCM differs from Western medicine in that TCM exhibits complicated bioactive com- ponents, triggering many signaling pathways and extensive actions on vital organs. Modern scientific approaches have demonstrated some of their underlying mechanisms. In this review, we used Lycium barbarum and Ginkgo biloba as examples to elaborate the characteristics of TCM and their potential applications in neuroprotection in glaucoma.

关 键 词：NEUROPROTECTION neuroprotective agents traditional Chinese medicine GLAUCOMA REVIEW 

分 类 号：R276.7[医药卫生—中医五官科学]