Table 4. Effect of E. officinalis tannoids on aldose reductase activity and sorbitol levels in lens culture

AR activity and sorbitol levels were measured in rat lens incubated in the presence of normal (5.5 mM) and high (55 mM) glucose for 18 h. AR activity is expressed as μmoles NADPH oxidized/h/100 mg protein and sorbitol is expressed as nmoles/100 mg lens. The asterisks (*) indicate a statistically significant difference from the control group and the sharps (#) indicate a statistically significant difference from the glucose 55 mM group (ANOVA, p<0.05). Values are mean±standard deviation of three independent experiments.

 Group     AR activity   Sorbitol
--------   -----------   --------
Control       26.4        19.4
              ±2.45       ±1.74

Glucose       36.2*       83.1*
55 mM         ±3.51       ±9.13

Glucose       29.8#       67.2*#
55 mM +       ±2.82      ±10.27
50 μm/ml
Tannoid
mixture