Cytotoxicity research of three non-steroidal anti-inflammatory eye drops in human corneal epithelial cells

Diclofenac sodium eye drops, pranoprofen eye drops and bromfenac sodium hydrate eye drops are three clinical commonly used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs). The variation of cytoxicity among these drugs and whether the cytoxicity is related to the supplements are also unknown.

This study was to compare the cytotoxicity of three non-steroidal anti-inflammatory eye drops and their active components with cultured human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) in vitro, and to discuss toxic origins of these drugs.

HCECs were cultured in different drugs with the final concentration of 0.10%, 0.05%, 0.02% and 0.01%. Cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT assay. Then, 0.002% eye drops (1∶50) was added, and the migration and damage of the cells were deceted by transwell migration assay and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay.

The cytotoxicity of three nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory eye drops on HCECs was concentration-dependent (all at P=0.00). Diclofenac sodium eye drops showed the most dominant effects on the proliferation, migration and damage of HCECs among the three eye drops, while bromfenac sodium eye drops showed the least effect on the cell damage (proliferation: F_drug=20.25, P=0.00; migration: F=103.43, P=0.00; damage: F_drug=164.16, P=0.00). Compared with the eye drops, their active components showed less cytoxicity. Pranoprofen appeared the least effects on the proliferation, migration and damage of HCECs (proliferation: F_drug=332.27, P=0.00; migration: F=332.27, P=0.00; damage: F_drug=154.83, P=0.00).

The cytotoxicity of diclofenac sodium eye drops is more obvious than that of pranoprofen eye drops or bromfenac sodium hydrate eye drops. The cytotoxicity of the three eye drops originates from their supplements or the interaction between the supplements and active components.