The effects of Cassia tora against the photo-oxidation of A2E laden retinal pigment epithelium

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness among the elderly. The death of retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) cells caused by excessive A2E accumulation is crucial determinants of AMD according to recently research papers. A2E, a pyridinium bis-retinoid derived from all-trans-retinal and ethanolamine, can intercede light mediated damage to RPE cells by generation of singlet oxygen and self-oxidation at carbon-carbon double bonds. Cassia tora L. (Leguminosae) is traditional medicinal plant in Asia countries which is well known to have bioactivities such as hypotensive, anti-oxidation, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-mutagenic activities. The C. tora 70% EtOH extract and its fractions by liquid-liquid partition using hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water were evaluated for the blocking on RPE cell damage from A2E photo-oxidation. The hexane fraction exhibited remarkable anti-photo-oxidant efficacy. These results demonstrate that C. tora may have protective effect on ARPE-19 cell death caused by blue light induced A2E photo-oxidation.