Addition of nitric oxide via nitroflurbiprofen enhances the material properties of early healing of young rat Achilles tendons.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if the addition of nitric oxide (NO) via nitroflurbiprofen (NO-flurbiprofen) would enhance rat Achilles tendon healing.


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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Yuan
J
J
Orthopaedic Research Institute, St George Hospital Campus, University of New South Wales, 4-10 South Street, Kogarah, Sydney, NSW 2217, Australia.
Murrell
G A C
GA
Wei
A-Q
AQ
Appleyard
R C
RC
Del Soldato
P
P
Wang
M-X
MX
D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000293:injuries* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001834:Body Water / Q000378:metabolism; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D005480:Flurbiprofen / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004396:Coloring Agents; C095631:nitroflurbiprofen; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D005480:Flurbiprofen; D003094:Collagen