Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Their Anti-Oxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Neuroprotective Effects in Diabetic Retinopathy: A Narrative Review
Abstract
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common microvascular complication of type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) that can have vision-threatening consequences, particularly if it advances to the proliferative stage and is left untreated. Owing to the central role of hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress, multiple anti-oxidants have been investigated for their therapeutic value. However, there is a lack of substantial data to support the use of any of the compounds tested so far. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), namely docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), have received much acclaim for their positive impact on cardiovascular health outcomes. The anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties of PUFAs also make them promising therapeutic and preventive agents for DR. The current evidence is derived mainly from in vitro and animal studies and provides some insight into the underlying mechanisms involved. These fatty acids are capable of direct anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. They also concomitantly promote intrinsic defense mechanisms and recovery, particularly of photoreceptor neurons. Hence, dietary supplementation with PUFAs, mainly from marine sources, can halt and reverse the retinal damage seen in DR. Furthermore, clinical trials have reported improved vision and quality of life in DR patients after supplementation. However, a major limitation of these trials is the use of nutraceutical formulations in which omega-3…
Read the paper
Related studies
- eggNOG 5.0: a hierarchical, functionally and phylogenetically annotated orthology resource based on 5090 organisms and 2502 viruses
- Online Survival Analysis Software to Assess the Prognostic Value of Biomarkers Using Transcriptomic Data in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
- OptiType: precision HLA typing from next-generation sequencing data
- Nicotinic Cholinergic System and COVID-19: In Silico Identification of an Interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and Nicotinic Receptors with Potential Therapeutic Targeting Implications
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells have three Omega class glutathione S-transferases acting as 1-Cys thiol transferases
- Hemolysis at low blood flow rates: in-vitro and in-silico evaluation of a centrifugal blood pump
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.