V. ANTICATARACT EFFECT
Cataracts are the most common age-related changes in
the eye crystalline lens tissue. One of the most plausible
causes of cataracts is oxidative stress due to aging (36). Epidemiological
studies suggest the usefulness of natural antioxidants
such as vitamins C and E against human cataracts
(37, 38). The antioxidative compounds 4-hydroxy-3(2H)-
furanones were examined for their anticataract effect on two
cataract models in vitro and in vivo (39). HMF, HDMF and
HEMF were examined for their anticataract effects on the
galactose-induced cataract model in vitro.