Toxic effects of ophthalmic preservatives on cultured rabbit corneal epithelium. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1989. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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Toxic effects of ophthalmic preservatives on cultured rabbit corneal epithelium.

Am J Optom Physiol Opt. 1988 Nov;65(11):867-73. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/89300884
Simmons PA; Clough SR; Teagle RH; Jaanus SD; Department of Basic and Visual Sciences, Southern California; College of Optometry, Fullerton.


Abstract: We investigated the effects of the ophthalmic preservatives thimerosal and sorbic acid on the proliferation and survival of rabbit corneal epithelial cells in tissue culture. Normally, explants of corneal epithelium grow vigorously during the first 7 days in culture. With 0.004% thimerosal present in the culture medium, the normal proliferation of corneal cells is suppressed completely. When 0.1% sorbic acid is present, proliferation is delayed and the lifespan of the corneal cells is reduced. After a 1-h exposure to concentrations of thimerosal of 0.0005% or greater, virtually all corneal cells present in established cultures are killed. These results suggest that use of ophthalmic preparations containing these chemicals may affect the metabolic and proliferative capacity of the corneal epithelium adversely.
Keywords: Animal Cell Division/DRUG EFFECTS Cell Survival/DRUG EFFECTS Cornea/*DRUG EFFECTS Epithelium/CYTOLOGY Ethylmercury Compounds/*TOXICITY Fatty Acids, Unsaturated/*TOXICITY Female Male Pharmaceutic Aids/*TOXICITY Preservatives, Pharmaceutical/*TOXICITY Rabbits Sorbic Acid/*TOXICITY Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Thimerosal/*TOXICITY Tissue Culture JOURNAL ARTICLE

KWDanimalcelldivision/drugeffectscellsurvival/drugeffectscornea/KWDdrugeffectsepithelium/cytologyethylmercurycompounds/KWDtoxicityfattyacids,unsaturated/KWDtoxicityfemalemalepharmaceuticaids/KWDtoxicitypreservatives,pharmaceutical/KWDtoxicityrabbitssorbicacid/KWDtoxicitysupport,non-uKWDsKWDgov'tthimerosal/KWDtoxicitytissueculturejournalarticle
891030
M89A0627


Copyright © 1989 - National Library of Medicine. Reproduced under license with the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

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