Vision problems are constantly increasing: according to WHO, visual impairment affects about 2.2 billion people worldwide. In developed countries, the main cause of blindness is age-related macular degeneration (AMD), caused by the deterioration of the retina following the aging process. However, in 85% of cases this pathology could be avoided or treated: today, the manipulation of the intestinal microbiome, as well as the maintenance of the physiological composition of the ocular one, represent valid alternatives for the prevention and/or improvement of this pathology. In particular, the close link between the microbial imbalance in the intestine - dysbiosis - and chronic inflammation, allows to hypothesize new therapeutic approaches, based on the modulation of the microbiome, aimed at preventing the onset and/or progression of this pathology. Furthermore, numerous studies demonstrate the beneficial effects of some dietary components on the ocular surface health. These components can be taken either from the diet or from targeted nutritional therapies, through the intake of food supplements. The Italian pharmaceutical company MEDIVIS was the first to understand the enormous potential that the modulation of the microbiome can represent for ophthalmological medical therapy, developing, among others, LUCE VF®, world’s first product studied to physiologically intervene in the intestine-retina axis.
I problemi alla vista sono in continuo aumento: secondo i dati dell'OMS la disabilità visiva colpisce circa 2,2 miliardi di persone nel mondo. Nei paesi sviluppati la causa principale di cecità è la degenerazione maculare senile (AMD), dovuta al deterioramento della retina in seguito ad invecchiamento. Tuttavia, nell’ 85% dei casi tale patologia potrebbe essere evitabile o trattabile: oggi, la manipolazione mirata del microbioma intestinale, nonché il mantenimento della composizione fisiologica di quello oculare, sembrano rappresentare valide alternative per la prevenzione e/o miglioramento di tale patologia. In particolare, lo stretto legame tra lo squilibrio microbico a livello intestinale – disbiosi – e l’infiammazione cronica permette di ipotizzare degli approcci terapeutici nuovi, basati sulla modulazione del microbioma, volti a prevenire l’insorgenza e/o la progressione di tale patologia. Inoltre, numerosi studi dimostrano l’effetto benefico di alcuni componenti dietetici sulla salute della superficie oculare. Tali componenti possono essere assunti sia con la dieta attraverso l’alimentazione o tramite terapie nutrizionali mirate, mediante l’assunzione di integratori alimentari. L’azienda farmaceutica italiana MEDIVIS ha intuito per prima l’enorme potenziale che la modulazione del microbioma, attraverso l’integrazione alimentare, può rappresentare per la terapia medica oftalmologica, sviluppando, tra gli altri, LUCE VF®, il primo prodotto a livello mondiale studiato per intervenire fisiologicamente sull’asse intestino-retina.
MICROBIOTA INTESTINALE E PATOLOGIE RETINICHE: IL RUOLO DEGLI INTEGRATORI ALIMENTARI
CHILELLI, FRANCESCA
2021/2022
Abstract
Vision problems are constantly increasing: according to WHO, visual impairment affects about 2.2 billion people worldwide. In developed countries, the main cause of blindness is age-related macular degeneration (AMD), caused by the deterioration of the retina following the aging process. However, in 85% of cases this pathology could be avoided or treated: today, the manipulation of the intestinal microbiome, as well as the maintenance of the physiological composition of the ocular one, represent valid alternatives for the prevention and/or improvement of this pathology. In particular, the close link between the microbial imbalance in the intestine - dysbiosis - and chronic inflammation, allows to hypothesize new therapeutic approaches, based on the modulation of the microbiome, aimed at preventing the onset and/or progression of this pathology. Furthermore, numerous studies demonstrate the beneficial effects of some dietary components on the ocular surface health. These components can be taken either from the diet or from targeted nutritional therapies, through the intake of food supplements. The Italian pharmaceutical company MEDIVIS was the first to understand the enormous potential that the modulation of the microbiome can represent for ophthalmological medical therapy, developing, among others, LUCE VF®, world’s first product studied to physiologically intervene in the intestine-retina axis.È consentito all'utente scaricare e condividere i documenti disponibili a testo pieno in UNITESI UNIPV nel rispetto della licenza Creative Commons del tipo CC BY NC ND.
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14239/14614