PMC:2792620 / 32816-34920 JSONTXT

{"project":"2_test","denotations":[{"id":"20040958-10790757-47224504","span":{"begin":927,"end":929},"obj":"10790757"},{"id":"20040958-8604540-47224505","span":{"begin":1317,"end":1319},"obj":"8604540"},{"id":"T68891","span":{"begin":927,"end":929},"obj":"10790757"},{"id":"T32430","span":{"begin":1317,"end":1319},"obj":"8604540"}],"text":"Complementary and alternative system of medicine\nIn recent times, there has been an increased interest in complementary medicine. But very little research has been done on the majority of herbal remedies, with regard to their effect on glaucoma. There are several nutrients and botanicals that hold promise for the treatment of glaucoma, but most studies are preliminary, and larger, controlled studies are required.[94]\nForskolin is a diterpine derivative of the plant Coleus forskohlii, which acts on adenylate cyclase catalytic subunit to increase intracellular cAMP. Gingko biloba extract has multiple beneficial actions, which will be helpful in the treatment of glaucoma, like increased ocular blood flow, antioxidant activity, platelet activating factor inhibitory activity, nitric oxide inhibition, and neuroprotective activity combine, suggesting that Gingko biloba extract could be used in the treatment of glaucoma.[95]\nIn a recent trial in Italy, which was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double masked trial involving 27 patients, there was an improvement in the visual fields in-patient, with normal tension glaucoma after four weeks of treatment with Ginkgo biloba.[96]\nAlpha lipoic acid, a powerful antioxidant, may be useful in glaucoma, because it reduces nerve cell damage from oxidative stress.[97] Supplementation with Vitamin C is believed to increase aqueous humor drainage, through reducing the viscosity of hyaluronic acid in the trabecular meshwork.\nIn China, the main herb-derived eye drops for glaucoma are pueraria flavonoids, areca seed extract, and alkaloids from erycibe (Erycibe obtusifolia; dinggongteng aka baogongteng). These eye drops appear to work as well or better than pilocarpine, which is usually used as a comparative standard.[98] Salvia miltiorrhiza is a Chinese herb, injected intravenously (solution) and which helps to improve microcirculation of the retinal ganglion cells.\nCannabinoids reduce intraocular pressure by enhancing uveoscleral outflow. The development of formulation for ocular administration has not yet yielded a prescription medication."}