Abstract: Cataracts are one of the most important causes of blindness. As the mechanism of oxidative damage to cataracts was understood, anti-oxidants, especially peroxidase mimetics, were used to develop the agents to protect the eye and cure cataracts. We have designed and synthesized a nonapeptide (DhHP-6) containing deuterohaemin and histidine, which showed a peroxidase activity by degrading H₂O₂ and tert-butyl hydroxyl radical in ascorbate-specific peroxidase test. The specific activity is 4.0×10³ U/μmol with H₂O₂ and ascorbate as the substrate. DhHP-6 is capable of protecting cultured rat lenses from cataracts induced by galactose. In the absence of the DhHP-6 big change on lenses was observed.

Key words: Cataract, Peroxidase mimetics, Nonapeptide