Impact of prostaglandin glaucoma drops on platelet-activating factor action: an in vitro study

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different prostaglandin analogs on platelet-activating factor (PAF) levels. METHODS: Three prostaglandin analogs were selected: bimatoprost 0.3 mg/mL, latanoprost 50 μg/mL, and tafluprost 15 μg/mL. Each drug sample was tested for its ability to cause platelet aggregation, which was measured as PAF-induced aggregation, before and after the addition of various concentrations of the examined sample, creating a linear curve of percentage inhibition (ranging from 0% to 100%) versus different concentrations of the sample. The concentration of the sample that inhibited 50% PAF-induced aggregation was calculated based on this curve, and this value was defined as IC50. In addition, the effect of eye drops on PAF metabolism was examined, through an in vitro analysis on PAF basic metabolic enzymes (PAF-cholinephosphotransferase, PAF-acetyl-CoA:1-O-alkyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine acetyltransferase, and PAF-acetylhydrolase). RESULTS: The IC50 values for Lumigan UD(®) (bimatoprost 0.3 mg/mL), Monoprost(®) (latanoprost 50 μg/mL), and Saflutan (tafluprost 15 μg/mL) were 8.7, 0.28, and 1.4 μg/mL, respectively. DISCUSSION: All three prostaglandin analogs suspended PAF, but bimatoprost induced the most potent inhibition, compared to tafluprost and to the weak effect of latanoprost.