WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants - travolekar.ru

<strong>WHO</strong> <strong>monographs</strong> on selected medicinal plants
retarded the progression of cataracts in 97% (p < 0.05) of the subjects
(n = 25) compared to 76% in the control group (n = 25) (17). However,
several studies have also shown that administration of vitamin E alone
reduces the incidence of cataracts (18).
Extracts of the crude drug have also been tested in the treatment of
glaucoma. In one small pilot study, eight patients with glaucoma were
given a single dose of an extract of the crude drug containing 200.0 mg of
anthocyanosides. Electroretinography showed improvements in all patients;
however no further details are available (18, 33).
Diabetic retinopathy
In one report, oral administration of bilberry anthocyanins, at a dose of
600.0 mg/day for 6 months, to 32 patients with diabetes reduced the number
of capillaries with lesions from 34% before treatment to 14% after
treatment (2). In another investigation, 31 patients with various types of
retinopathy were treated with an extract of the crude drug to determine
the effect of anthocyanins on the retinal vessels. In patients with diabetic
retinopathy, a reduction in permeability and tendency to haemorrhage
was observed (34). In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
study the effect of the crude drug was investigated in 40 patients with diabetic
and/or hypertensive retinopathy. Patients were divided into two
equal groups and either treated with a crude drug extract equivalent to
115 mg anthocyanosides daily, or a placebo, for 1 month. Retinopathy in
the 20 patients receiving placebo remained unchanged and these patients
were treated for a further 30 days. At the end of treatment (30 or 60 days),
detectable retinal abnormalities (seen in 13/20 patients in the treatment
group initially) were reduced in 10 patients and, in three, symptoms were
unchanged. In the placebo group, retinal abnormalities (seen in 15/20 patients
initially) were unchanged after 30 days, but when they were given
active treatment for a further 30 days, 79% of patients improved (19).
Myopia
An extract of the crude drug containing 160 mg anthocyanins was investigated
for its effect on myopia in 26 patients. Improvement of scotopic
function was observed in all patients, but the effects were only statistically
significant in subjects with slight myopia ( 6 diopters) (b2 wave,
p < 0.01). In subjects with medium myopia, photopic function was significantly
improved (critical central fusion frequency, p < 0.005; b1 wave,
p