Allopurinol therapy and cataractogenesis in humans

Journal Article · Sun Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982 · Am. J. Ophthalmol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9394(82)90068-X· OSTI ID:6638206

Lerman, S; Megaw, J M; Gardner, K

Long-term ingestion of allopurinol, an antihyperuricemic agent used to treat gout, may be related to the development of lens opacities in relatively young patients (second to fifth decades of life). Cataracts obtained from three patients taking allopurinol were subjected to high-resolution phosphorescence spectroscopy. The characteristic allopurinol triplet was demonstrated in all three cataracts. Identical spectra were obtained for normal human lenses incubated in media containing 10(-3)M allopurinol and exposed to 1.2 mW/cm2 ultraviolet radiation for 16 hours; control lenses (irradiated without allopurinol) showed no allopurinol triplets. Similar data were obtained for lenses from rats given one dose of allopurinol and exposed to ultraviolet radiation overnight. These data provide evidence that allopurinol can be photobound in rat and human lenses and suggest its cataractogenic potential.

• Research Organization: Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
• OSTI ID: 6638206
• Journal Information: Am. J. Ophthalmol.; (United States), Vol. 94:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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CATARACTS
ETIOLOGY
CHEMOTHERAPY
SIDE EFFECTS
PYRIMIDINES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
RADIOSENSITIVITY EFFECTS
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SENSE ORGANS
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560151* - Radiation Effects on Animals- Man
550600 - Medicine
550900 - Pathology