A retrospective analysis of the effect of vinpocetine infusion on ophthalmological disorders

Alternative Medicine Review, March, 2007

Vegh S, Szikszay E, Bonoczk P, et al. Orv Hetil 2006;147:2361-2365. [Article in Hungarian]

A retrospective analysis of the effect of vinpocetine infusion on ophthalmological disorders. The authors retrospectively examined the effect of vinporetine infusion on various ophthalmological disorders. Based on the data of 280 patients they concluded that vinpocetine infusion has beneficial effects in numerous ophthalmological disorders of visus and visual field. There was a clear difference regarding the response to treatment. Best results were achieved in diseases characterized by sclerosis, hypertonia and macular degeneration. The improvement was modest or progression was slowed in patients with nervus opticus ischaemia, glaucoma and myopia. These results are in accordance with the literature data. The beneficial effect of vinpocetine can be explained by the fact that the vessels of the eye are in direct connection with the cerebral circulation and hereby the circulation improving effect of vinpocetine could be effective. The neuronal effects of vinpocetine could also play a role at least in two ways. On the one hand by the direct effect exerted on the cells of retina (these cells are related to the neurons), and on the other hand by the improvement of the circulation and metabolism of the secondary visual cortex found in the occipital lobe (this effect is proved by PET studies).