Melatonin as a new therapeutic strategy for feline uveitis treatment

DEL SOLE, MARÍA JOSE; ROSENSTEIN RE; SANDE PH

Felines: Common Diseases, Clinical Outcomes and Developments in Veterinary Healthcare

Nova Science Publishers

Lugar: Nueva York; Año: 2015; p. 99 - 127

Melatonin as a New Therapeutic Strategy for Feline Uveitis Treatment     María José Del Sole1, Ruth E. Rosenstein2,*and Pablo H. Sande2 1Small Animal Teaching Hospital, Clinic Department, School of Veterinary Science, National University of the Center of Buenos Aires Province, Tandil, CIVETAN/CONICET, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. 2Laboratory of Retinal Neurochemistry and Experimental Ophthalmology, Department of Human Biochemistry, School of Medicine/CEFyBO, University of Buenos Aires/CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Abstract   Uveitis is the most common form of intraocular inflammation and a disease with potentially blinding sequels. Since the disease causes significant morbidity and the use of traditional forms of treatment is restricted by limited effectiveness and considerable side effects, uveitis remains a challenging field to veterinary ophthalmologists. Current understanding of the role of oxidative and nitrosative stress in ocular inflammatory diseases indicates that antioxidant and antinitridergic therapy may be important to optimize the uveitis treatment. Several lines of evidence strongly support that melatonin is a potent antioxidant molecule which is effective in scavenging free radicals that are generated in ocular tissues, and it inhibits the retinal nitridergic pathway. In view of the fact that melatonin lacks significant adverse collateral effects even at high doses, melatonin could potentially protect ocular tissues by effectively scavenging free radicals and excessive amounts of NO generated in the uveitic eye. This chapter summarizes recent investigations showing that melatonin prevents clinical, biochemical, ultrastructural and functional consequences of experimental uveitis, and which support the role of melatonin as a therapeutic strategy for uveitis treatment.   Keywords: melatonin, uveitis, nitric oxide, oxidative damage, feline uveitis. *Corresponding author: Department of Human Biochemistry, School of Medicine, CEFyBO, University of Buenos Aires, CONICET, Paraguay 2155, 5th floor, (1121), Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA, Tel: 54-11-45083672 (ext 37), Fax: 54-11-45083672 (ext 31), Email: ruthr@fmed.uba.ar.