AIM:To investigate the effect and mechanism of chrysophanol for rat model with glaucoma.

METHODS:The glaucoma rat models were made by cauterization of three episcleral veins. Then the glaucoma rats were divided into three groups. Group 1 was the untreated intraocular hypertension group. Group 2 was the low dose of chrysophanol group(25mg/kg). Group 3 was the high dose of chrysophanol group(50mg/kg), 15 rats in each group. The right eyes were the experiment eyes while the left were the control ones. After 6wk treatment, the mRNA and protein of protein kinase-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase(PERK)and Rho kinase 1(ROCK-1)were determined in the retina.

RESULTS:The chrysophanol reduced intraocular pressure(IOP)of experiment eyes, which was significantly lower than that of control eyes(P<0.01). Compared with the normal group, the p-PERK protein increased significantly in the retina of glaucoma model group and chrysophanol increased the lever of p-PERK protein. The ROCK-1 protein level increased significantly in glaucoma group, it all decreased in these treatment groups, and it decreased significantly in high dose treatment group. Detected by TR-PCR, chrysophanol also could activate the mRNA of PERK and inhibited the mRNA expression of ROCK-1 in a rat model of glaucoma.

CONCLUSION:These results suggest that chrysophanol can reduce the IOP through the phosphorylation of PERK protein to regulate the PERK/ROCK signaling in glaucoma rat model.