Efficacy of Ethanol Extract of Fructus lycii and Its Constituents Lutein/Zeaxanthin in Protecting Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cells against Oxidative Stress: In Vivo and In Vitro Models of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Figure 1

Effects of Fructus lycii ethanol extract on the histopathology in mice with an experimental model of AMD. Mice were grouped: group 1, aging control group (no high-fat diet plus hydroquinone, no treatment); group 2, AMD model group (with high-fat diet plus hydroquinone, no treatment); group 3, low dose group (with high-fat diet plus hydroquinone, 1.25 g/kg treatment); group 4, moderate dose group (with high-fat diet plus hydroquinone, 2.50 g/kg treatment); and group 5, high dose group (with high-fat diet plus hydroquinone, 3.75 g/kg treatment). (a) Electron microscopy examination of the eye tissues (magnification ×25000). Normal young mice (3 months old) were used as negative control. The black arrows indicate the Bruch membrane. (b) Comprehensive scoring on the severity of RPE sediment. The width and thickness of sediment were scored according to the guidelines described in Section 2. The total score = width score + 1/2 thickness score. Data are expressed as mean ± SD, ^##𝑃<0.01 versus group 1, *𝑃<0.05 versus group 2, and **𝑃<0.01 versus group 2. (c) Determination of Bruch membrane thickness. Data are expressed as mean ± SD, ^##𝑃<0.01 versus group 1, and **𝑃<0.01 versus group 2.