Review on potential effects of traditional Chinese medicine on glaucoma

Qi S, Zhang J, Zhu H, Wang Z, Li W · Journal of Ethnopharmacology · 2023 March

DOI 10.1016/j.jep.2022.116063

Objective

To provide an overview of the pathogenesis of glaucoma from both modern and traditional medicine perspectives and to summarize the therapeutic effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), including acupuncture, on glaucoma.

Conclusions

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) demonstrates effective therapeutic effects in treating glaucoma by increasing the survival rate of retinal ganglion cells through regulation of microcirculation, oxidative stress, and the immune system. Bioinformatics analysis supports the potential involvement of pathways like p53, MAPK, and NF-κB in glaucoma pathogenesis.

Critical Appraisal

Published research can offer valuable insights, but a paper’s conclusions may go beyond what its results support. Critical appraisal examines the methods, findings and limitations to clarify what can reasonably be concluded—and what remains uncertain.

This article has not yet been critically appraised by the Research Hub.

Learn more about Critical Appraisal

Insights

Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) could increase the survival rate of retinal ganglion cells, thereby playing an active role in treating glaucoma.

The research involved a comprehensive collection and collation of scientific articles from various databases about TCM and its application on glaucoma. The therapeutic effects of TCM, including their specific formulae, crude drugs, and active components, were analyzed based on existing experimental and clinical research. The GSE26299 database was also used for a bioinformatics analysis of glaucoma, employing the GEO database chip. The traditional Chinese medicines exhibited positive effects in treating glaucoma by potentially improving the microcirculation, managing oxidative stress, and regulating the immune system, which in turn increased the survival rate of retinal ganglion cells. Furthermore, the bioinformatics analysis speculated the pathogenesis of glaucoma to be associated with multiple signaling pathways. The study concluded that TCM could alleviate and treat glaucoma through various methods, with the provision that the differentiation syndrome should be the basis for proposing suitable treatment options.