Study of Aldose Reductase Inhibition in Intact Lenses by 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy has been used in the study of glucose metabolism, specifically aldose reductase inhibition, in intact rabbit lenses maintained in organ culture. This technique provides an effective method of screening potential inhibitors of aldose reductase under conditions that more closely approximate in vivo conditions than do earlier methods. The aspirin substitutes acetaminophen and ibuprofen were studied as aldose reductase inhibitors and were found to be effective in reducing sorbitol accumulation in lenses exposed to high glucose stress. Results of this work with various inhibitors of aldose reductase are discussed in terms of lens metabolism and implications regarding diabetic complications such as cataract formation.