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Diabetic retinopathy(DR)has been traditionally considered a purely microvascular disease in the retina. Currently, mainstream therapies focus only on advanced vascular complications and a single molecular target-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF). However, the research is shifting towards a more comprehensive view that DR is a neurovascular disease caused by neurovascular unit(NVU)injury. In the early stage of DR, diabetic retinal neurodegeneration(DRN)dominates and may precede the retinal microvascular abnormalities. Moreover, neuronal apoptosis can further lead to microvascular injury and blood-retinal barrier(BRB)disruption. Therefore, it makes sense to develop new therapeutic strategies to prevent or reverse DRN. However, no drug targeting DRN has been approved for clinical use. In recent years, it has become a trend to study the protective effect of traditional Chinese medicine on the retina. The primary research focuses on Chinese herb monomers. This article reviews the research status of representative monomers in DRN to provide references for the early treatment of DR and development of new drugs.

Diabetic retinopathy(DR)is a common chronic complication of diabetes mellitus, which cause irreversible damage of microvessels in the retina. DR is a leading blindness eye disease among diabetes mellitus. The pathogenesis of DR is mainly related to oxidative stress, inflammation and neovascularization. DR patients are treated with laser photocoagulation, vitrectomy and medicine in clinical trials. The traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese herb monomers have unique efficacy in the treatment of DR, especially in retinal protection, which provides valuable supplement. The paper summarized application practice and mechanism of representative Chinese herbal formulas and Chinese herb monomers in the treatment of DR, which would provide references for the clinical treatment and new drug development of DR.

Glaucoma is an eye disease characterized by progressiveretinal nerve damage and impaired vision, which is the top one irreversible blinding eye disease. The pathologic intraocular pressure elevation is its key risk. At present, the clinical medicine with intraocular pressure reducing and retinal nerve protection effects focused on symptomatic therapy with unsatisfied effects. Chinese herb monomers have advantages of both Chinese herbs and chemical drugs. Chinese herbs and Chinese herb monomers have favorable effects on glaucoma therapy, especially on retinal nerve protection, which provides a vast room for new drug development. The paper summarized applications and mechanism of representative anti-glaucoma Chinese herbal formulas, Chinese herbs and especially Chinese herb monomers, which would provide references for clinical therapy and new drug development for glaucoma.