title: High-dose vitamin C supplementation accelerates the Achilles tendon healing in healthy rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This experimental study was performed to assess, whether or not, vitamin C, required during the collagen synthesis, would influence the Achilles tendon healing in a healthy rat model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The right Achilles tendons of 42 healthy female Wistar Albino rats were completely ruptured. The rats were randomly divided into the vitamin C and control groups and both groups included third, tenth and twenty-first day subgroups. One hundred and fifty milligrams (1.5 cc) of vitamin C and 1.5 cc % 0.9 NaCl were injected once for every 2 days for the vitamin C and control groups, respectively. Qualitative and quantitative microscopic comparisons of the repair tissues of both groups were made on the mentioned days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Angiogenesis was more evident on the third day in the vitamin C group. There was a significant difference between the control and vitamin C groups regarding the type I collagen production on the tenth day. The structure of the repair tissue was almost in the form of regular dense connective tissue at the end of twenty-first day in the vitamin C group. Mean collagen fiber diameter was considerably higher, and the number of active fibroblasts in the repair tissue was slightly elevated in the vitamin C group during the entire healing process.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High-dose vitamin C supplementation once for every 2 days has stimulating effects on the Achilles tendon healing because of early angiogenesis and increased collagen synthesis in a healthy rat model. Further studies are needed to make clear the mentioned encouraging effects of the vitamin C on the Achilles tendon healing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Suna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Omeroğlu
authors.forename: Tuncay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Peker
authors.forename: Nurten
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Türközkan
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Omeroğlu
mesh_terms: D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000293:injuries; D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D014815:Vitamins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins; D003094:Collagen; D001205:Ascorbic Acid