The Effects of Beta-blocker and Acetazolamide on Ascorbic acid Concentration in Aqueous Humor

Lee, Young Ghee; Hong, Young Jae

Abstract

Aqueous humor resembles the serum in composition; its concentration of ascorbic acid, however, measuring to be 15 to 69 times higher (than that of serum) has been presumed to be one of the possible predisposing factors of developing glaucoma. The inhibitor of aqueous humor production, one of the current therapeutic measures of glaucoma has been reported to increase its concentration of ascorbic acid. The effects of Beta-blocker and Acetazolamide on the ascorbic acid concentration are evaluated in this study and further, 50 eyes of 50 cataract patients and 20 eyes of 20 glaucoma patients as the objects, the ascorbic acid concentration in aqueous humor is compared between these two groups under the same pre-set conditions of using the inhibitors. Beta-blocker and acetazolamide elevated the concentration of ascorbic acid by 7.5% and 10.7%, respectively and the combined administration of both resulted in a significant increase of 20.4% (p<0.05). The cataract and glaucoma patients under both medications showed concentrations of 284.7 microgram/ml and 267.3 microgram/ml, each, though, such a slight difference of figure implies no statistical significance. The ascorbic acid concentration in serum and its ratio of composition in aqueous humor and serum does not differ between the two groups. It's concentration in aqueous humor, however, showed a considerable individual variation which was especially remarkable in glaucoma patients. As the conclusion of above evaluations, either ascorbic acid has almost no effect on the pathogenesis of glaucoma or has a similar degree of influence on the pathogenesis of cataract and glaucoma with different mechanisms.