Effect of Ouabain on Intraocular Pressure in Rabbits.

Han, Kyung Sook

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 1970;11(4):13-15.
Published online April 1, 1970.

Effect of Ouabain on Intraocular Pressure in Rabbits.

Kyung Sook Han

Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Korea.

Ouabain 이 가토안압에 (家兎眼壓) 미치는 영향 (影響)

윤원식(Won Sik Yoon),윤동호(Dong Ho Yoon),한경숙(Kyung Sook Han)

Abstract

Effect of Ouabain administration on aqueous humor dynamics were studied in albino rabbits. Intravenous injection of 0.1 mg/kg of ouabain in 10 rabbits produced significant reduction of intraocular pressure. The highest lowering of intraocular pressure occurred 70 minutes after the injection, its magnitude being 35.54% of the original pressure. The intraocular pressure returned to its original pressure 117.0 minutes after the injection. Perilimbal suction cup studies revealed 26.92 % reduction in aqueous flow. Intravitreal injection of O.1 micro gram of ouabain dissolved in 0.02 ml performed in 5 rabbits' eyes produced marked lowering of intraocular pressure. The maximum tension lowering effect (60.15%) was observed 4.6 days after the administration, and the tension recovered 15.8 days after the injection. Perilimbal suction cup studies showed 29.48 % reduction in aqueous flow. It is concluded that Na-K ATPase play an important role in the aqueous formation and that ouabain lowers the intraocular pressure by supressing this enzyme. Intravitreal administration has more powerful tension-lowering effect than intravenous injection.