Tear Film Production and Stabilizing Potentials of Dennettia tripetala

Abstract

Dennettia tripetala (DT) is an ethno-medicinal plant whose seeds are consumed for nutritional and medicinal purposes. Based on this, the tear film production and stabilizing potentials of Dennettia tripetala were investigated. A single dose of 750mg/kg body weight of the seed extract was orally administered on 50 healthy adults aged 18-35 years (26.4±1.98). Schirmer I test (SIt) and Tear-break-up time (TBUT) scores were recorded at 30 minutes, 60 minutes and 90 minutes post-ingestion using calibrated Whatman No. 41 Schirmer strips and cobalt blue filters of the slit lamp biomicroscope respectively. Data were analyzed with Z-statistics at 95% confidence interval using the Decision Analyst STATSTM version 2.0 Software. Across the age groups, the mean of means baseline SIt score was 15.4±1.34mm. At 30 minutes and 60 minutes post-ingestion, the mean of means SIt scores significantly (p˂0.05) increased to 19.2±1.68mm and 25.8±3.97mm respectively compared with the baseline score, while at 90 minutes post-ingestion the mean SIt score significantly (p˂0.05) increased to 16.0±0.88mm when compared with the baseline score. The age distribution of mean TBUT scores indicates a baseline mean TBUT score of 15.0±2.31 seconds across the age groups. At 30 minutes and 60 minutes post-ingestion, the mean TBUT scores significantly (p˂0.05) increased to 19.7±2.12 seconds and 24.3±2.58 seconds respectively compared with the baseline score. At 90 minutes post-ingestion, there was a reduction of the mean TBUT score to 19.2±1.71seconds, although it was significantly higher (p˂0.05) than the baseline mean TBUT score. Males recorded significantly (p˂0.05) lower mean SIt and TBUT scores than females. On the overall, the seed extracts of Dennettia tripetala proved effective in potentiating tear film production and stability; hence, can provide a natural remedy to keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eye syndrome).