The gender-differentiated antioxidant effects of a lutein-containing supplement in the aqueous humor of patients with senile cataracts

Abstract Antioxidant supplements are expected to decrease oxidative damage and prevent ocular diseases. In this study, changes in the anti-oxidative ability and oxidative status in the aqueous humor before and after intake of a lutein-containing supplement were measured. Forty patients who all had identical grades of cataracts in both eyes were included. The aqueous humor was collected as pre-intake samples during cataract surgery. Ocuvite + Lutein Ⓡ , an antioxidant supplement, was administered orally beginning the day after surgery. Six weeks later, the aqueous humor was collected as a post-intake sample during cataract surgery of the opposite eye. To determine the anti-oxidative ability, the levels of superoxide (O 2 − ) scavenging activity were measured. To determine the oxidative status, the levels of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and total amount of hydroperoxides (TH, including H 2 O 2 and peroxides of lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids) were measured. In post-intake samples, the O 2 − scavenging activities were significantly higher in both genders ( p 2 O 2 were significantly higher ( p p 2 O 2 was significantly negatively correlated to the TH in the post-intake samples of both genders ( r  = −0.50 and p r  = −0.59 and p 2 O 2 was significantly positively correlated to the O 2 − scavenging activity in both pre- and post-intake aqueous humor in females only ( r  = 0.66 and p r  = 0.71 and p 2 − scavenging activity increased while H 2 O 2 levels remained the same in males, suggesting that scavenging rates are proportional. In postmenopausal females, the superoxide scavenging activity also increased, however unlike in males, the H 2 O 2 levels also increased meaning H 2 O 2 was not completely scavenged. H 2 O 2 is a non-free radical and can be excreted from the aqueous humor to prevent further oxidation of lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, which was confirmed by the low levels of TH in post-intake samples. Antioxidant supplements are suggested to be effective in reducing oxidation in the aqueous humor by different mechanisms in both genders.