Potential therapeutic effects of baicalein, baicalin, and wogonin in ocular disorders

J Ocul Pharmacol Ther. 2014 Oct;30(8):605-14. doi: 10.1089/jop.2014.0074.

Abstract

Ocular diseases such as cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and diabetic retinopathy are the leading causes of blindness. The elderly population is at particular risk of developing one or more of these age-related ocular diseases. By virtue of multiple bioactivities, effort has been made to develop dietary flavonoids as complimentary therapies for ocular disorders. Dietary intake of flavonoids has been reported to reduce the risk of cataract and AMD. This review focuses on the main flavones baicalein, baicalin, and wogonin isolated from the Chinese medicinal herb, Scutellariae radix (SR), which has been widely used in Asian countries for the treatment of many diseases. Interest in SR has grown recently following new findings that suggest multiple routes of therapeutic action. This review will summarize the diverse pharmacological properties, therapeutic roles, and mechanisms of these flavones of SR in cellular and animal models of ocular diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / isolation & purification
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / pharmacology
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / therapeutic use*
  • Eye Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Eye Diseases / enzymology
  • Eye Diseases / metabolism
  • Eye Diseases / pathology
  • Flavanones / isolation & purification
  • Flavanones / pharmacology
  • Flavanones / therapeutic use*
  • Flavonoids / isolation & purification
  • Flavonoids / pharmacology
  • Flavonoids / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Structure
  • Scutellaria baicalensis / chemistry

Substances

  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • Flavanones
  • Flavonoids
  • baicalin
  • baicalein
  • wogonin