Pharmacy sets sights on goji
June 6, 2012
RESEARCHERS from Sydney
University’s Faculty of Pharmacy
have found that the goji berry may
help fight blindness caused by longterm
diabetes.
Headed up by Professor of
Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Basil
Roufogalis, the study involved two
in vitro tests investigating the
potential of goji, which is abundant
in taurine - an ingredient credited
with anti-oxidative, antiinflammatory
and
immuno-modulating properties
which could protect the retina.
“Diabetic retinopathy is a leading
cause of blindness for people with
diabetes, with up to 60 per cent of
people living with either type 1 or
type 2 diabetes developing chronic
hyperglycaemia, a condition which
can damage retina cells,” said
Professor Roufogalis.
Initial findings of the study
showed that the goji berry and its
taurine component activated a
nuclear receptor protein called
PPAR-gamma, a response which
coincided with protection against
the death of cells caused by high
concentrations of glucose in the
retina.
“We then wanted to see whether
the same extracts of goji berry and
its pure taurine had an effect on
protecting the retinal barrier
against toxin invasion when the
barrier is typically damaged by high
glucose in diabetes patients,” said
Professor Roufogalis.
“What we found is that both the
pure taurine and the taurine-laden
goji berry extract protected the
retina against increased
permeability of the protective
barrier through its actions on the
PPAR-gamma receptor, thereby
helping the epithelial cells that
provide the protective barrier to
the retina,” he added.
The researchers now hold hope
that the results will lead the way to
human clinical trials.
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