Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) represents a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disease characterized by progressive photoreceptor loss. In recent years, research has been rarely made in blood flow affected in RP. The specific mechanism of blood flow affected in RP is not completely clear. A number of studies indicated that the decreased blood flow was related to RP. According to clinical observation and treatment experience, Chinese medicine considered that blood stasis runs throughout the RP disease progression, and the blood stasis corresponding to Chinese herbal medicine has a positive effect on the clinical treatment of RP. Therefore, we proposed that the decreased blood flow may participate in the lesion. In this article, we will review the findings on the decreased blood flow affected in RP from the perspective of modern medicine and Chinese medicine.

To assess the impact of Fructus Lycii and Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge extract (FSE) on retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and to explore the mechanisms by which FSE can prevent oxidative stress-induced photoreceptor ferroptosis in RP. Hydrogen peroxide(H₂O₂) was used to induce oxidative stress in 661 W cells, which were then examined using flow cytometry and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Changes in mitochondria were observed by using an electron microscope to characterize the ferroptosis of the cells. The protective effect of FSE on the retina function and structure of rd10 mice was evaluated using histopathological examination, fundus photographs, and electroretinography (ERG). Protein expression levels of Tumor Protein p53 (P53), Solute Carrier Family 7 Member 11 (SLC7A11), Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), Arachidonate-12-Lipoxygenase (ALOX12), and Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) were evaluated by Western blot assays in Vivo and in Vitro. H₂O₂-induced 661 W cells increased oxidative stress products and P53 and ALOX12, decreasing the expression of SLC7A11, GPX4, and DPP4. GPX4 activator does not reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and has little effect on ferroptosis. Fer-1 and FSE attenuate ROS generation and inhibit ferroptosis of photoreceptors in RP via inhibited P53 expression and increased SLC7A11 and GPX4 expression. FSE may be available in clinical therapeutics to alleviating RP and the mechanism by which inhibits ferroptosis of photoreceptors following oxidative stress via the P53/ SLC7A11 pathway.

Disturbed structure and dysfunction of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) lead to degenerative diseases of the retina. Excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the RPE is thought to play an important role in RPE dysfunction and degeneration. Autophagy is a generally low-activity degradation process of cellular components that increases significantly when high levels of oxidative stress are present. Agents with antioxidant properties may decrease autophagy and provide protection against RPE dysfunction and damage caused by ROS. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) has been widely studied as an antioxidant and cell-protective agent. Therefore, we designed this study to investigate the effects of LBP, which inhibits miR-181, on autophagy in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) with oxidative stress in vitro and in vivo. In the current study, we found that the highly expressed miR-181 downregulated the expression of Bcl-2 in hydrogen peroxide- (H₂O₂-) induced ARPE-19 cells, resulting in an increase in ROS, apoptosis, and autophagy flux. LBP inhibited the expression of miR-181, decreased the levels of ROS, apoptosis, and autophagy flux, and increased cell viability in H₂O₂-induced ARPE-19 cells, suggesting that LBP provides protection against oxidative damage in ARPE-19 cells. We also found that LBP decreased RPE atrophy and autophagy flux in rd10 mice. Taken together, the results showed that LBP has a protective effect for RPE under oxidative stress by inhibiting miR-181 and affecting the Bcl-2/Beclin1 autophagy signaling pathway.

Objective. To evaluate the efficacy of Yiqi Yangyin Huoxue method in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR) with meta-analysis. Method. A randomized controlled trial of Yiqi Yangyin Huoxue method in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy in PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, Weipu Journal, China Knowledge Network, and Wanfang database was conducted. Two reviewers independently extracted data and methodological quality assessment. Data analysis was performed using Rev Man 5.3 software for statistical analysis. Results. A total of 10 randomized controlled trials, including 661 patients, were included. The results showed that Yiqi Yangyin Huoxue method could significantly improve the vision [risk ratio (RR)=1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.18, 1.47), P<0.00001] and change the eye fundus [RR=1.23, 95% CI (1.10, 1.37), P=0.0002], fundus fluorescence angiography (FFA) [RR=1.33, 95% CI (1.11, 1.60), P=0.002], traditional Chinese medicine syndromes [RR=1.31, 95% CI (1.15, 1.49), P<0.0001], and hemorheological parameters [mean difference (MD) =-0.37, 95% CI (-0.41, -0.32), P<0.00001]. Conclusion. Yiqi Yangyin Huoxue method showed beneficial effects for DR on improving vision, eye fundus, FFA, TCM syndromes, and hemorheological parameters.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Buddleja officinalis Maxim eye drops on morphology and apoptosis in lacrimal glands of the experimental dry eye rabbit model. A total of thirty-six male rabbits were divided into six study groups, consisting of the control group and the dry eye rabbit model group (without any treatment), the dry eye rabbit model group treated with testosterone, and the dry eye rabbit model group treated with different concentrations of Buddleja officinalis Maxim eye drops (1.0 mg/ml, 1.5 mg/ml and 3.0 mg/ml). The lacrimal glands were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemistry. Buddleja officinalis Maxim eye drops can improve the morphological structure of the lacrimal gland in the dry eye model of castrated rabbits. The average optical density values of PI3K, Akt, and caspase-9 protein in the lacrimal gland tissue of the 3 mg/ml Buddleja officinalis Maxim eye drops group were significantly different from those in the model group (P<0.01) and similar to the testosterone control group and the control group (P>0.05). Buddleja officinalis Maxim eye drops can improve the morphological structure of the lacrimal gland in the dry eye model of castrated rabbits.