[Experimental validation of licopin-containing drug tomatol use in combined therapy of patients with diabetic retinopathy].

Effects of tomatol on metabolic changes in the blood and lacrimal fluid and ocular capillaries of rabbits with alloxane diabetes were studied. Tomatol is a drug containing licopin carotenoid characterized by a high biological activity. The intensity of lipid peroxidation was notably decreased, antioxidant activity of the blood increased, lipid metabolism parameters in the blood and some parameters of proteinase inhibitory balance in the blood and lacrimal fluid normalized in diabetic rabbits treated with tomatol in comparison with untreated rabbits. Changes in perilimbic capillaries were less expressed in treated vs. untreated animals. Hence, tomatol is recommended for combined therapy of patients with diabetes as a drug normalizing metabolism and probably decelerating the development of diabetic retinopathy.