The Traditional Kampo Medicine Tokishakuyakusan Increases Ocular Blood Flow in Healthy Subjects

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of oral administration of kampo medical formulas on ocular blood flow (OBF). A crossover protocol was used to randomly administer five grams of yokukansan, tokishakuyakusan (TSS), keishibukuryogan, or hachimijiogan to 13 healthy blinded subjects (mean age: 37.3 ± 12.3 years). The mean blur rate, a quantitative OBF index obtained with laser speckle flowgraphy, was measured at the optic nerve head before and 30 minutes after administration. Blood pressure (BP) and intraocular pressure (IOP) were also recorded. No significant changes were observed in mean BP or IOP after the administration of any of the kampo medical formulas. There was a significant increase in OBF 30 minutes after administration of TSS (100% to 103.6 ± 6.9%,P<0.01). Next, TSS was administered to 19 healthy subjects (mean age: 32.0 ± 11.0 years) and OBF was measured before and 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes after administration. Plain water was used as a control. OBF increased significantly after TSS administration compared to control (P<0.01) and also increased from 30 to 60 minutes after administration compared to baseline (P<0.05). These results suggest that TSS can increase OBF without affecting BP or IOP in healthy subjects.

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The Changes in Blood Flow Seen in the Eye after Foot Acupuncture Treatment in Mice

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2020/6405471 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Anri Nishinaka ◽

Koki Nitta ◽

Takashi Seki ◽

Hideaki Hara ◽

Masamitsu Shimazawa

Keyword(s):

Blood Flow ◽

Flow Velocity ◽

Blood Flow Velocity ◽

Acupuncture Treatment ◽

Ocular Blood Flow ◽

Eye Diseases ◽

Laser Speckle ◽

Laser Speckle Flowgraphy ◽

Mean Blur Rate ◽

The Mean

Acupuncture is used to treat a wide variety of eye diseases, although there is little evidence about the effects of acupuncture treatment and the mechanisms responsible for them. Foot acupuncture treatment has effects in both mice and humans. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of acupuncture treatment on ocular blood flow in mice. We evaluated ocular blood flow in C57BL/6J mice after foot acupuncture treatment using laser speckle flowgraphy. The mean blur rate, which is an index of blood flow velocity, was increased in the foot acupuncture group. Our results showed that, after 3 minutes’ foot acupuncture, ocular blood flow was significantly increased in both the blood vessels and tissue of the eye in C57BL/6J mice. Thus, performing acupuncture in mice might help to determine its effects. Furthermore, acupuncture is considered to be a possible treatment for ocular disease.

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Reproducibility of Neonate Ocular Circulation Measurements Using Laser Speckle Flowgraphy

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2015/693056 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Tadashi Matsumoto ◽

Takashi Itokawa ◽

Tomoaki Shiba ◽

Yuji Katayama ◽

Tetsushi Arimura ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Flow ◽

Intraclass Correlation ◽

Ocular Blood Flow ◽

Eye Diseases ◽

Laser Speckle ◽

Laser Speckle Flowgraphy ◽

Ocular Circulation ◽

Time Index ◽

Mean Blur Rate ◽

Normal Sleep

Measuring the ocular blood flow in neonates may clarify the relationships between eye diseases and ocular circulation abnormalities. However, no method for noninvasively measuring ocular circulation in neonates is established. We used laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) modified for neonates to measure their ocular circulation and investigated whether this method is reproducible. During their normal sleep, we studied 16 subjects (adjusted age of 34–48 weeks) whose blood flow could be measured three consecutive times. While the subjects slept in the supine position, three mean blur rate (MBR) values of the optic nerve head (ONH) were obtained: the MBR-A (mean of all values), MBR-V (vessel mean), and MBR-T (tissue mean), and nine blood flow pulse waveform parameters in the ONH were examined. We analyzed the coefficient of variation (COV) and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for each parameter. The COVs of the MBR values were all ≤10%. The ICCs of the MBR values were all >0.8. Good COVs were observed for the blowout score, blowout time, rising rate, falling rate, and acceleration time index. Although the measurement of ocular circulation in the neonates was difficult, our results exhibited reproducibility, suggesting that this method could be used in clinical research.

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Sex-Related Differences in Ocular Blood Flow of Healthy Subjects Using Laser Speckle Flowgraphy

Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science ◽

10.1167/iovs.15-16567 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 56 (8) ◽

pp. 4880 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Kosei Yanagida ◽

Takeshi Iwase ◽

Kentaro Yamamoto ◽

Eimei Ra ◽

Hiroki Kaneko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Flow ◽

Healthy Subjects ◽

Ocular Blood Flow ◽

Laser Speckle ◽

Laser Speckle Flowgraphy

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Time Course in Ocular Blood Flow and Pulse Waveform in a Case of Ocular Ischemic Syndrome with Intraocular Pressure Fluctuation

Vision ◽

10.3390/vision4020031 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 31

Author(s):

Ryo Yamazaki ◽

Ryuya Hashimoto ◽

Hidetaka Masahara ◽

Masashi Sakamoto ◽

Takatoshi Maeno

Keyword(s):

Blood Flow ◽

Visual Acuity ◽

Intraocular Pressure ◽

Ocular Blood Flow ◽

Laser Speckle ◽

Laser Speckle Flowgraphy ◽

Pulse Waveform ◽

Rubeosis Iridis ◽

Ocular Ischemic Syndrome ◽

Ischemic Syndrome

We report on a 70-year-old Japanese man with complaints of worsening left visual acuity who was diagnosed with ocular ischemic syndrome (OIS) associated with internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis. A gonioscopy examination showed rubeosis iridis and elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in the left eye (50 mmHg) at the baseline visit. The optic nerve head (ONH) and choroidal blood flow measured by laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) was impaired in the left eye compared with that in the right eye. Additionally, the blowout score (BOS), which indicates the variation of the mean blur rate (MBR) during systolic and diastolic periods, was decreased in the left eye. After treatment with an injection of bevacizumab and administration of Rho-associated kinase-inhibitor ripasudil eye drops, both ocular blood flow and BOS in each vascular bed gradually increased along with IOP reduction. The visual acuity also improved. The current case demonstrated increased blood flow and decreased fluctuation of blood flow in the ONH and choroid before and after the treatment in OIS with rubeosis iridis. The LSFG technique is useful to non-invasively assess the ocular circulation and pulse waveform in OIS.

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Lutein Complex Supplementation Increases Ocular Blood Flow Biomarkers in Healthy Subjects

International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research ◽

10.1024/0300-9831/a000576 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 89 (1-2) ◽

pp. 5-12

Author(s):

Alon Harris ◽

Brent Siesky ◽

Amelia Huang ◽

Thai Do ◽

Sunu Mathew ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Blood Flow ◽

Diastolic Blood Pressure ◽

Healthy Subjects ◽

Ocular Blood Flow ◽

Capillary Blood ◽

Post Treatment ◽

Capillary Blood Flow ◽

Doppler Imaging ◽

Retinal Capillary

Abstract. Introduction: To investigate the effects of a lutein complex supplementation on ocular blood flow in healthy subjects. Materials and Methods: Sixteen healthy female patients (mean age 36.8 ± 12.1 years) were enrolled in this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, two-period crossover study. Subjects received daily an oral dose of the lutein with synergistic phytochemicals complex (lutein (10 mg), ascorbic acid (500 mg), tocopherols (364 mg), carnosic acid (2.5 mg), zeaxanthin (2 mg), copper (2 mg), with synergistic effects in reducing pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines when administered together in combination) and placebo during administration periods. Measurements were taken before and after three-week supplementation periods, with crossover visits separated by a three-week washout period. Data analysis included blood pressure, heart rate, intraocular pressure, visual acuity, contrast sensitivity detection, ocular perfusion pressure, confocal scanning laser Doppler imaging of retinal capillary blood flow, and Doppler imaging of the retrobulbar blood vessels. Results: Lutein complex supplementation produced a statistically significant increase in mean superior retinal capillary blood flow, measured in arbitrary units (60, p = 0.0466) and a decrease in the percentage of avascular area in the superior (−0.029, p = 0.0491) and inferior (−0.023, p = 0.0477) retina, as well as reduced systolic (−4.06, p = 0.0295) and diastolic (−3.69, p = 0.0441) blood pressure measured in mmHg from baseline. Data comparison between the two supplement groups revealed a significant decrease in systemic diastolic blood pressure (change from pre- to post-treatment with lutein supplement (mean (SE)): −3.69 (1.68); change from pre- to post-treatment with placebo: 0.31 (2.57); p = 0.0357) and a significant increase in the peak systolic velocity (measured in cm/sec) in the central retinal artery (change from pre- to post-treatment with lutein supplement: 0.36 (0.19); change from pre- to post-treatment with placebo: −0.33 (0.21); p = 0.0384) with lutein complex supplement; data analyses from the placebo group were all non-significant. Discussion: In healthy participants, oral administration of a lutein phytochemicals complex for three weeks produced increased ocular blood flow biomarkers within retinal vascular beds and reduced diastolic blood pressure compared to placebo.

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Detection of significantly high vitreous concentrations of fatty acid-binding protein 4 in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-91857-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kaku Itoh ◽

Masato Furuhashi ◽

Yosuke Ida ◽

Hiroshi Ohguro ◽

Megumi Watanabe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Flow ◽

Diabetic Retinopathy ◽

Fatty Acid ◽

Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy ◽

Ocular Blood Flow ◽

Laser Speckle ◽

Laser Speckle Flowgraphy ◽

Fatty Acid Binding ◽

High Positive Correlation ◽

Blood Biochemical

AbstractThe fatty acid-binding protein4 (FABP4) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) play key roles in the metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), respectively. To identify FABP4 in vitreous fluid in PDR, vitreous concentrations of FABP4 (V-FABP4) and VEGFA (V-VEGFA) from PDR (n = 20) and non-PDR (n = 20) patients were determined by Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assays. The data, which included height and weight, systemic blood pressures, several blood biochemical parameters and blood flow at the optic nerve head (ONH) by laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) were collected. The levels of V-FABP4 and V-VEGFA were significantly higher in PDR patients than in non-PDR patients (P < 0.001) with a high positive correlation (r = 0.72, P < 0.001) between them. The findings were not affected by body mass index values and the presence of vitreous hemorrhaging. Among the clinical parameters, V-FABP4 correlated positively with creatinine and negatively with age and aspartate transaminase (AST) levels, while V-VEGFA correlated positively with fasting plasma glucose and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels but negatively with AST. Multiple regression analyses indicated that V-VEGFA, or V-FABP4, AST and HbA1c were independent predictors of V-FABP4 or V-VEGFA, respectively. Both were negatively correlated, but more evident in V-FABP4, with the ONH ocular blood flow.

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Association of changes of retinal vessels diameter with ocular blood flow in eyes with diabetic retinopathy

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-84067-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yoshitaka Ueno ◽

Takeshi Iwase ◽

Kensuke Goto ◽

Ryo Tomita ◽

Eimei Ra ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Flow ◽

Diabetic Retinopathy ◽

Adaptive Optics ◽

Laser Speckle ◽

The Other ◽

Systemic Hypertension ◽

Laser Speckle Flowgraphy ◽

Retinal Vessels ◽

External Diameter ◽

The Mean

AbstractWe investigated morphological changes of retinal arteries to determine their association with the blood flow and systemic variables in type 2 diabetes patients. The patients included 47 non-diabetic retinopathy eyes, 36 mild or moderate nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (M-NPDR) eyes, 22 severe NPDR (S-NPDR) eyes, 32 PDR eyes, and 24 normal eyes as controls. The mean wall to lumen ratio (WLR) measured by adaptive optics camera was significantly higher in the PDR groups than in all of the other groups (all P < 0.001). However, the external diameter of the retinal vessels was not significantly different among the groups. The mean blur rate (MBR)-vessel determined by laser speckle flowgraphy was significantly lower in the PDR group than in the other groups (P < 0.001). The WLR was correlated with MBR-vessel (r = − 0.337, P < 0.001), duration of disease (r = 0.191, P = 0.042), stage of DM (r = 0.643, P < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (r = 0.166, P < 0.037), and presence of systemic hypertension (r = 0.443, P < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that MBR-vessel (β = − 0.389, P < 0.001), presence of systemic hypertension (β = 0.334, P = 0.001), and LDL (β = 0.199, P = 0.045) were independent factors significantly associated with the WLR. The increased retinal vessel wall thickness led to a narrowing of lumen diameter and a decrease in the blood flow in the PDR group.

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