The growth factor response in ischemic rat retina and superior colliculus after brimonidine pre-treatment

Recent Advances in Ocular Drug Delivery Systems

“…At present, Ozurdex ® is in Phase III clinical trial for DME [128]. Brimonidine is a 2 adrenergic agonist, which can release various neurotrophins including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) [129,130]. These neurotrophins have a potential to prevent apoptosis of photoreceptors and/or RPE [131,132].…”

Anatomical and Molecular Responses Triggered in the Retina by Axonal Injury

“…Thus, it has been shown that a selective agonist of TrkB (BDNF receptor) causes a long term TrKB activation and significantly delays RGC degeneration after IOP increase and after optic nerve transection (Bai et al, 2010). Brimonidine, an α-2 adrenergic agonist, has been shown to neuroprotect RGCs after retinal ischemia (Lafuente et al, 2001Lafuente Lopez-Herrera et al, 2002;Vidal-Sanz et al, 2001a,b, 2007Aviles-Trigueros et al, 2003;Mayor-Torroglosa et al, 2005;Lonngren et al, 2006), after optic nerve crush (Wheeler et al, 1999) and after laser-induced ocular hypertension Lambert et al, 2011). A randomized trial comparing brimonidine and timolol (β-adrenergic antagonist) in low tension glaucomatous patients, has shown that the loss of visual field is statistically lower in brimonidine treatedpatients than in those treated with timolol, thus documenting, for the first time, its neuroprotective effect in human diseases (Krupin et al, 2011).…”

Clinical Application of Drug Delivery Systems for Treating AMD

“…Brimonidine is an α2 adrenergic agonist, which can release various neurotrophins including BDNF, CNTF (Lonngren et al, 2006, Kim et al, 2007, and b-FGF (Lai et al, 2002). These neurotrophins have potential to prevent apoptosis of photoreceptors and/or RPE (Azadi et al, 2007, Zhang et al, 2009 …”