Carbon monoxide lowers IOP

CORM-3, a water-soluble carbon monoxide-releasing molecule, is associated with intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering in animal models of ocular hypertension, concluded a study published in the January issue of the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

Professor F Drago of the University of Catania Medical School, Catania, Italy and colleagues injected [alpha]-chymotrypsin into rabbit eyes to induce ocular hypertension, and then assessed the effects of administering CORM-3 at doses of 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 and 1%. In a separate trial arm, the team induced ocular hypertension through subconjunctival betamethasone injections and administered CORM-3. In each trial arm, control subjects were treated with inactive CORM-3 (iCORM-3).

In both trial arms, administration of CORM-3 was associated with a reduction in IOP; dosage amount was positively correlated with the amount of IOP reduction. The control subjects experienced no IOP reduction.

The researchers therefore concluded that CORM-3 is associated with a reduction of IOP in two separate animal models of induced ocular hypertension. This correlation between carbon monoxide modulation and IOP has been established by previous studies.