Anti-fibrotic effects of lisinopril (ACE inhibitor) and fasudil (ROCK inhibitor) in combination for canine corneal fibrosis in vitro.

Background: Corneal fibrosis is a leading cause of blindness in mammalian species and may result in compromised performance in sports and daily functions. This study evaluated the safety and anti-fibrotic effects of the FDA-approved drugs, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I) lisinopril and rho-kinase inhibitor (ROCK-I) fasudil, alone and in combination, on the canine cornea using an established in vitro model.

Methods: To test the safety and efficacy of lisinopril and fasudil, primary canine corneal fibroblasts (CCFs) generated from donor corneas of healthy dogs (n = 20) were used.