Evaluation of the subconjunctival injection of Hesperidin with or without olive oil on the healing of alkali burn corneal ulcer in rabbits

Abstract

Corneal ulcers represent an anxious problem in animals and humans. The alkali burn corneal ulcer is severe and may be associated with damage to most of the corneal structure. The healing of the corneal ulcer is mainly complicated by the impairment of vision. The striving to find a new therapy that promotes the healing of corneal injuries with the maintenance of the power of vision is the main aim of most studies. The current study was conducted to evaluate the effect of hesperidin with or without olive oil after its deposition under conjunctiva on the healing of induced alkali burn corneal ulcers. For carrying out the study, 18 New Zealand albino rabbits were included. They were divided into three equal groups. Group I (control) received 0.5 ml of normal saline 0.9% under the bulbar conjunctiva 5 times at one-week intervals. Group II (H) received 0.5 ml of hesperidin nanovesicles subconjunctivally 5 times at one-week intervals. Group III (HO) received 0.5 ml of nanovesicles of hesperidin with olive oil under the bulbar conjunctiva 5 times one week apart. The right eye of animals was subjected to induction of corneal ulcer using 1% NaOH before the commencement of treatment. The left eye was used as a negative control one. The animals were examined clinically (lacrimation, neovascularization, pus formation, corneal perforation, measurement of corneal ulcer), and with fluorescein test staining every week just before each treatment. The animals were examined on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36 post corneal ulcer induction. At the end of the experiment, the treated and nontreated eye samples were collected for histopathological and electron microscopy examination. The results showed an improvement in the total clinical score in groups H and HO especially in the fifth week, while the control group displayed increasing in the inflammatory process of the injured eye throughout the time of experiment. There was a significant difference between both of H and HO groups and the control group in the third, fourth, and fifth weeks. The results of the histopathological and electron microscopy revealed the superiority of hesperidin with olive oil over hesperidin alone in promoting the healing of corneal ulcers (p= 0.045). The current study concluded that the subconjunctival injection of hesperidin with or without olive oil has a beneficial and promoting effect in the healing and regeneration of alkali burn corneal ulcers in rabbits. Moreover, subconjunctival injections can ensure long-term drug maintenance compared to topical methods, which in turn saves time and energy.