title: Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors may facilitate bone defect recovery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bone healing is still one of the most important problems of the oral and maxillofacial surgery procedures. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of sildenafil citrate (which is used for erectile dysfunction) on bone defect healing in an experimental animal model.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 42 male Wistar-albino rats were randomly assigned to the control group (n=21) or the study group (n=21). The control group was fed on a standard laboratory diet until 12 h before surgery, whereas the study group received Sildenafil citrate via orogastric tube 10 mg/kg once a day for 30 days. Under anaesthesia, a 3 x 3 x 2 mm depth defect was made on tibia of each rat. 7 animals from each group were euthanised on postoperative days 7,15 and 30. Bone samples were taken for examination, histologically on day 7, by 3D dental tomography on day 15, and for bone strength resistance on day 30.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically significant differences were determined between the groups from the inflammatory and repair phase, with the healing process being more advanced in the Sildenafil group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sildenafil citrate can be used as a supporting factor to accelerate the healing process of bone. In future comprehensive studies will need to demonstrate the Sildenafil citrate affect on bone defect healing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Dicle, Diyarbakir, Turkey. dtferhan@hotmail.com
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yaman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Atilgan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Günes
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agacayak
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Günay
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ucan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bakir
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Erol
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kose
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Atalay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D006940:Hyperemia; D008297:Male; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011687:Purines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013450:Sulfones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013977:Tibia / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors; D010879:Piperazines; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase