Cutaneous acetone depresses aqueous humor ascorbate in guinea pigs.

The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the concentration of ascorbate in the aqueous humor of guinea pigs over a 1-year period following the cutaneous application of a potential cataractogenic agent, acetone. Forty young guinea pigs received 15 ml acetone in small doses on their backs over a 6-week period; the ascorbate in their aqueous humor did not increase above 10 mg/100 ml during a 1-year test period. Ten control animals received only saline on their backs and the ascorbate concentrations steadily increased from 12 to over 18 mg/100 ml during the same time period. Three months after acetone treatment 12 animals (30%) developed cataracts and their ascorbate levels dropped to below 9 mg/100 ml after 1 year.