[New stimulants of corneal reparative regeneration].

Vestn Oftalmol 115(6):13-5 (1999) PMID 10665279

The efficacy of corneregel, a drug containing pantothenic acid, a component of coenzyme A, in healing of corneal wounds has been evaluated. The study was carried out on 19 rabbits (38 eyes) with standard corneal defect made with a 5-mm trephine for lamellar transplantation of the cornea, divided into 2 groups: 1) instillations of corneregel (10 eyes) and 0.25% levomycetin solution (10 eyes) and 2) 20% solcoseryl gel (9 eyes) and 0.25% levomycetin (9 eyes). Time course of changes were evaluated by biomicroscopy (fluorescent test), histologically (hematoxylin-eosin staining), and immunohistochemically after 1, 2, 4, 7, 30, and 90 days. Proliferative activity was studied by expression of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen and the migration capacity of cells by expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin. The terms of epithelialization were as follows: corneregel 10 +/- 7 h, 20% solcoseryl gel 108 +/- 10 h, levomycetin 124 +/- 6.93 h. Earlier epithelialization in the corneregel group was apparently due to increased expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin and increase in the cell migration capacity. Hence, corneregel is recommended for practical use as a stimulant of reparative regeneration of the cornea.