[Experimental rationale for local use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors for the treatment of ocular tissue ischemia on a model of postburn conjunctival ischemia].

The authors have evaluated the local renin-angiotensin system on a model of experimental postburn conjunctival ischemia from the tear activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and studied whether impaired microcirculation might be restored by locally applying the ACE inhibitor captopril. It has been found that in conjunctival ischemia, there is a considerable increase in the activity of ACE, the key enzyme of the renin-angiotensin system, the activity of which largely determines the microcirculation in eye tissues. Instillations of the ACE inhibitor to rabbits within 2 weeks after alkaline burn of the eye result in a reduction in ACE activity and an earlier recovery of microcirculation in the area of conjunctival ischemia. Instillations of the ACE inhibitor captopril in ocular burn facilitate the maintenance of the tear antioxidant potential at the high level, which also suggests that the ACE inhibitor has a positive effect on the course of reparative processes after ocular burn injury. The findings suggest that it is promising to locally use ACE inhibitors for the treatment of ischemic processes in the eye.