Addition of nitric oxide via nitroflurbiprofen enhances the material properties of early healing of young rat Achilles tendons

Inflamm Res. 2003 Jun;52(6):230-7. doi: 10.1007/s00011-003-1167-7.

Abstract

Objective and design: To determine if the addition of nitric oxide (NO) via nitroflurbiprofen (NO-flurbiprofen) would enhance rat Achilles tendon healing.

Materials and methods: Sixty-five male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into NO-flurbiprofen, flurbiprofen and vehicle groups, given drugs or vehicle subcutaneously, and their right Achilles tendon divided. Histological assessment was carried out at day 5, 10, and 15 post-operation. Healing tendon biomechanical properties and hydroxyproline content were measured at day 10.

Results: The healing Achilles tendon from the NO-flurbiprofen and flurbiprofen groups showed a better organization of extracellular collagenous matrix than that from the vehicle group. Flurbiprofen and NO-flurbiprofen decreased healing tendon cross-sectional area by 30% and 20%. This reduction was accompanied by a decreased failure load in the flurbiprofen group, but not the NO-flurbiprofen group. NO-flubiprofen prevented the reduction of body weight gain observed in the flubiprofen group.

Conclusion: Both flurbiprofen and NO-flurbiprofen promoted better collagen reorganization during tendon healing. NO-flurbiprofen further improved tendon healing by increasing tendon stress and reducing the side effects (body weight loss) of flurbiprofen. The enhanced tendon healing by NO-flurbiprofen is likely due to the release of NO from the compound.

MeSH terms

  • Achilles Tendon / injuries*
  • Achilles Tendon / metabolism
  • Achilles Tendon / pathology
  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / therapeutic use*
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Body Water / metabolism
  • Collagen / metabolism
  • Coloring Agents
  • Extracellular Space / metabolism
  • Flurbiprofen / analogs & derivatives*
  • Flurbiprofen / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Nitric Oxide / metabolism
  • Nitric Oxide / therapeutic use*
  • Organ Size / drug effects
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Weight Gain / drug effects
  • Wound Healing / drug effects*

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Coloring Agents
  • nitroflurbiprofen
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Flurbiprofen
  • Collagen