Many diseases of the external eye lead to the growth of new vessels in the cornea, often associated with bacterial, viral or mycotic infections. The anti-angiogenic properties of pentosan polysulfate sodium make it a suitable therapy to prevent vascularisation of the eye. There is, therefore, a role for pentosan polysulfate sodium in a number of external eye diseases because of its known anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, and anti-viral activity.

For example:
Herpes simplex keratitis, where the combination of antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties of pentosan polysulfate sodium may be ideal for the treatment of ulcerative herpes simplex keratitis as well as the associated stromal disease (1,2,4,6).

Allergic conjunctivitis, being a typical mast cell-mediated hypersensitivity reaction, in which the allergen reacts with specific immunoglobulin E antibodies bound to the surface of conjunctival mast cells. An inhibition of mast cell histamine secretion by pentosan polysulfate sodium has been reported (3). Its ability to abrogate inflammatory responses, suggests that pentosan polysulfate sodium may have a therapeutic role in seasonal allergic conjunctivitis.

References

1) Andrei, G, Snoeck, R, Goubau, P, Desmyter, J & De Clercq, E (1992). Comparative activity of various compounds against clinical strains of herpes simplex virus. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 11(2): 143-51.
2) Baba, M, Snoeck, R, Pauwels, R & de Clercq, E (1988). Sulfated polysaccharides are potent and selective inhibitors of various enveloped viruses, including herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus, vesicular stomatitis virus, and human immunodeficiency virus. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 32(11): 1742-5.
3) Chiang, G, Patra, P, Letourneau, R, Jeudy, S, Boucher, W, Green, M, Sant, GR & Theoharides, TC (2000). Pentosanpolysulfate inhibits mast cell histamine secretion and intracellular calcium ion levels: An alternative explanation of its beneficial effect in interstitial cystitis. J Urol 164(6): 2119-25.
4) De Clercq, E (1990). Selective virus inhibitors. Microbiologica 13(2): 165-78.
5) Gonzalez, RP, Soares, FDD, Farias, RF, Pessoa, C, Leyva, A, Viana, GSD & Moraes, MO (2001). Demonstration of inhibitory effect of oral shark cartilage on basic fibroblast growth factor-induced angiogenesis in the rabbit cornea. Biol. Pharmacol. Bull. 24(2): 151-4.
6) Zhang, Y, Schols, D & De Clercq, E (1999). Selective activity of various antiviral compounds against hhv-7 infection. Antiviral Res 43(1): 23-35.