Anthocyanins as a potential therapy for the diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common complications of diabetes. A plethora of literature indicates that oxidative stress may play a central role in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. One could thus hypothesise that antioxidant therapies may be protective for diabetic retinopathy. Anthocyanins are important natural bioactive pigments responsible for red-blue colour of fruits, leaves, seeds, stems and flowers in a variety of plant species. Apart from their colours, anthocyanins are known to be health-promoting phytochemicals with potential properties useful to protect against oxidative stress in some degenerative diseases. They also have a variety of biological properties including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anticancer, and cardio-protective properties. Some reports further suggest a therapeutic role of anthocyanins to prevent and/or protect against ocular diseases but more studies are needed to examine their potential as alternative therapy to diabetic retinopathy. The present article reviews the available literature concerning the beneficial role of anthocyanins in diabetic retinopathy.