Kinetin metabolite for diabetic retinopathy

The metabolite kinetin riboside, also known as N6-furfuryl adeninosine, could help treat diabetic retinopathy by promoting mitochondrial turnover in retinal cells, and preventing the increase in inflammatory and metabolic stress caused by mitochondrial hyperfusion.

Mitochondria were more fused in retinas from diabetic patients than in those from non-diabetic controls, and the amount of hyperfusion correlated with the degree of retinal degeneration. ...