KDR and diabetic retinopathy: Kimura et al in their study on sulphonylureas treatment and diabetic retinopathy, reported that glibenclamide could not downregulate VEGF and inhibit ischemia-induced retinal neovascularization.26 Therefore, according to our results, it can be claimed that glibenclamide may reduce blood VEGF via the upregulation of circulating FLK-1 and sFLT-1 and the combination therapy with the highest dose of HESS partly enhanced its protective effect.