Diabetic cataract is an ocular disease represented as blindness by lens opacification. Oxidative as well as osmotic stress caused by accumulation of polyols within the lens has been shown to be associated with glucose-induced cataractogenesis. Taurine has an antioxidant capacity and its level in diabetic cataractous lens is markedly decreased. Therefore, we investigated whether taurine is a part of antioxidative defense mechanism involved in protecting the lens against high glucose-induced oxidative stress and tissue damage. Lenses were isolated from male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing about 180-200 g and cultured in high glucose medium (55.6 mM) for 6 d as a model of high glucose-induced cataractogenesis. To investigate the antioxidative effect of taurine, 30 mM taurine was added in normal medium for 2 d before the addition of high glucose. The culture of lenses in high glucose medium increased the weight and opacity of lenses of and the carbonylated protein level, and decreased glutathione (GSH) content. Although there were no significant effects of taurine on the weight or opacity of lenses, pretreatment of lenses with 30 mM taurine significantly reversed the level of protein carbonylation and GSH to those of controls. Therefore, taurine might spare GSH and protect the lens from oxidative stress induced by a high concentration of glucose.