Efficacy of Bakuchiol in a Rat Model of Chemical Eye Injury

PURPOSE: To evaluate the therapeutic effects of bakuchiol on clinical and histopathological outcomes in a rat model of corneal alkali burn. METHODS: Corneal alkali burns were induced in the right eyes of 35 male Wistar rats, which were randomized into five groups: control, carbomer, steroid, 0.14 mg/g bakuchiol, and 0.28 mg/g bakuchiol. Examinations were performed under stereomicroscopy with intraperitoneal ketamine anesthesia on days 0, 3, 7, and 14 to assess corneal epithelial defects and opacity; on day 14, corneal neovascularization was additionally evaluated. After the final examination, the eyes were enucleated, and the corneas were processed for hematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemical staining. Epithelial necrosis, inflammatory cell density, corneal hemorrhage, stromal edema, and staining intensity for VEGF and TNF-α were semi-quantitatively scored. RESULTS: Bakuchiol treatment, particularly at 0.28 mg/g, significantly reduced corneal opacity, neovascularization, hemorrhage, and stromal edema compared with the steroid-treated group. CONCLUSIONS: Bakuchiol demonstrated promising anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic effects and may represent a potential adjunctive treatment for corneal chemical injuries.