Antidenaturant drugs for cataract and other condensation diseases

‘Condensation diseases’ are heterogeneous pathological conditions in which the primary pathogenetic step is the loss of solubility of specific substances, resulting in the formation of a condensed phase. Typical examples are cataract, nephrolithiasis, gallstone disease and certain rheumatic conditions in which protein denaturation, aggregation and precipitation may occur. Since the condensing molecules are often proteins, antidenaturant agents should be considered rational drugs for the treatment of these diseases. Surprisingly, however, only a few molecules with these properties are currently available for therapeutic use, including bendazac for cataract.