Vinca rosea Normalizes Oxidative Stress and Inhibits Hyperglycemia Induced Increase in VEGF in Zebrafish Retina

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the effect of ethanolic extracts of vinca rosea leaves (VRE) on hyperglycemia induced increase in VEGF by normalizing oxidative stress in adult zebra fish retina. Hyperglycaemia was accomplished by alternately immersing in glucose solution or water in zebrafish model of diabetic retinopathy. A group of fishes received normal powdered diet or powdered diet supplemented with 0.1% VRE soon after induction of hyperglycaemia. Age-matched normal fishes served as control subjects. At 28 days of hyperglycaemia, oxidative stress and vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) were quantified in the retina. The levels of lipid peroxide, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were similar in the retinas of VGE-treated hyperglycaemic zebrafish and normal control fishes, and these values were significantly different from those obtained from hyperglycaemic fishes without any supplementation. In the same fish, VGE also prevented hyperglycaemic -induced increases in retinal VEGF mRNA expression. These findings indicate that ethanolic extracts of vinca rosea leaves effectively reversed the induction of VEGF mRNA expression by high glucose via ameliorating oxidative stress. Vinca rosea ethanolic extract can potentially be an effective antioxidant therapy for the treatment of diabetic vascular endothetial death