Effect of testosterone cypionate and stanozolol on the heart of young trained mice: A morphometric study.

Testosterone cypionate and Stanozolol are Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids (AAS) which are synthetic substances that possess functions similar to testosterone. The use of these substances has increased considerably among youngsters and sports practitioners aiming better performance of with aesthetic purposes. The major concern is the effects caused by the inappropriate use of the substances, such as hypertension, myocardial ischemia, and left ventricle hypertrophy.

Chronical treatment with sildenafil causes Achilles tendinopathy in rats.

Aims: The primary goal was to assess the effects of chronic sildenafil treatment over the Achilles tendons in rats.

Main Methods: Animals were divided into two groups, control and sildenafil administration (n = 5). After 60 days, the tendons were subject to biochemical and image analysis to compare tendons between the groups: collagen I and decorin content, polarisation microscopy and birefringence analysis, and tissue zymography.

Low level laser therapy accelerates the extracellular matrix reorganization of inflamed tendon.

In tendon lesions, inflammation indicates the beginning of tissue repair and influences cell proliferation and the remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Low level laser (LLL) therapy has been an important method to induce tissue repair, and several studies have sought to better understand the therapeutic possibilities of this modality. This study analyzed the effect of LLL on the ECM of rat tendons during the early phase of the inflammatory process.

Green Tea and Glycine Modulate the Activity of Metalloproteinases and Collagen in the Tendinitis of the Myotendinous Junction of the Achilles Tendon.

The myotendinous junction (MTJ) is the weakest element in the muscle-tendon unit of the heel, and thus the most susceptible to injuries. The scarcity of adequate treatments means that tendinitis is a major concern to athletes and other groups who depend on their physical fitness, although green tea and glycine have both been shown to have beneficial effects on the inflammation. The present study investigated the remodeling effects of green tea and glycine in the MTJ of rats with tendinitis.

Low-level laser therapy modulates pro-inflammatory cytokines after partial tenotomy.

Tendon injuries give rise to substantial morbidity, and current understanding of the mechanisms involved in tendon injury and repair is limited. This lesion remains a clinical issue because the injury site becomes a region with a high incidence of recurrent rupture and has drawn the attention of researchers. We already demonstrated that low-level laser therapy (LLLT) stimulates the synthesis and organization of collagen I, MMP-9, and MMP-2 and improved the gait recovery of the treated animals.

Birefringence of collagen fibres in rat calcaneal tendons treated with acupuncture during three phases of healing.

Background: Birefringence is an optical anisotropy that is investigated by polarisation microscopy, and has been valuable for the study of the oriented organisation of collagen fibres in tendons. However, the application of this technology to evaluate the effect of different acupuncture points during tendon healing has not yet been described.

Objectives: To evaluate the concentration of non-collagenous proteins (NCP) and birefringence in rat calcaneal tendons following injury during the three different phases of healing: inflammatory (7th day), proliferative (14th day), and remodelling (21st day).

Biochemical and morphological alterations in the Achilles tendon of mdx mice.

Dystrophin-deficient muscles have repeated cycles of necrosis and regeneration, being susceptible to injury induced by muscle contractions. Some studies have demonstrated that tendons are also affected in mdx mice, based especially on the changes in biomechanical properties arising from the respective linked muscles. However, most studies have focused only on alterations in the myotendinous junction.

Glycine improves biochemical and biomechanical properties following inflammation of the achilles tendon.

Tendinopathy of the Achilles tendon is a clinical problem that motivates the scientific community to search for treatments that assist in restoring its functional properties. Glycine has broad biological effects, acting as a modulator of the inflammatory cascade, and is the predominant amino acid in collagen. A 5% glycine diet provided beneficial effects against toxicity and inflammation since glycine may restructure the collagen molecules faster due to its broad anti-inflammatory effects.

Acupuncture increases the diameter and reorganisation of collagen fibrils during rat tendon healing.

Background: Our previous study showed that electroacupuncture (EA) increases the concentration and reorganisation of collagen in a rat model of tendon healing. However, the ultrastructure of collagen fibrils after acupuncture is unknown.

Objectives: To assess the effect of acupuncture protocols on the ultrastructure of collagen fibrils during tendon healing.

A hypothesis for the anti-inflammatory and mechanotransduction molecular mechanisms underlying acupuncture tendon healing.

A previous study demonstrated that acupuncture increases the synthesis and reorganisation of collagen molecules in rat tendons after injury. Clinical studies have shown that acupuncture improves pain and functional activity in patients with tendinopathy. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are unknown.

Pulsed LLLT improves tendon healing in rats: a biochemical, organizational, and functional evaluation.

In the last decades, the tendon injuries have increased substantially. Previous results suggested that low-level laser treatment (LLLT) promotes synthesis of extracellular matrix and improves the functional properties of the tendon. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different protocols of LLLT on partially tenotomized tendons.

Statins induce biochemical changes in the Achilles tendon after chronic treatment.

Statins have been widely prescribed as lipid-lowering drugs and are associated with tendon rupture. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the possible biochemical changes in the Achilles tendon of rats after chronic treatment with statins. Dosages of statins were calculated using allometric scaling with reference to the 80mg/day and 20mg/day, doses recommended for humans.

Inflammatory process induced by carrageenan in adjacent tissue triggers the acute inflammation in deep digital flexor tendon of rats.

Tendinopathy is a pathology found mainly in the rotator cuff, patellar, Achilles and flexor tendons. Tendinopathy is a significant impediment to performance in athletes and in workers in the labor market. Some studies have indicated that inflammation in adjacent tissues may affect the rotator cuff and Achilles tendon.

LLLT improves tendon healing through increase of MMP activity and collagen synthesis.

The Achilles tendon has a high incidence of rupture, and the healing process leads to a disorganized extracellular matrix (ECM) with a high rate of injury recurrence. To evaluate the effects of different conditions of low-level laser (LLL) application on partially tenotomized tendons, adult male rats were divided into the following groups: G1, intact; G2, injured; G3, injured + LLL therapy (LLLT; 4 J/cm(2) continuous); G4, injured + LLLT (4 J/cm(2), 20 Hz); G5, injured; G6, injured + LLLT (4 J/cm(2) continuous); and G7, injured + LLLT (4 J/cm(2), 20 Hz until the 7th day and 2 kHz from 8 to 14 days). G2, G3, and G4 were euthanized 8 days after injury, and G5, G6, and G7 were euthanized on the 15th day.

Electroacupuncture increases the concentration and organization of collagen in a tendon healing model in rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the composition and organization of the extracellular matrix of the rat Achilles tendon after a partial transection during the proliferative phase of healing. Wistar rats were divided into three groups: rats that were not tenotomized (G1), tenotomized rats (G2), and rats that were tenotomized and submitted to EA (G3). EA was applied 15 days after injury at the ST36 and BL57 acupoints for 20 min, three times per week on alternate days for a total of six sessions.

Alterations in the Achilles tendon after inflammation in surrounding tissue.

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of the Achilles tendon of rats after induction of localized inflammation in the rat paw.

Methods: IN OUR STUDY THREE GROUPS WERE USED: inflamed group with carrageenan in rat paw (G1); saline group (G2) and control group (G3). After 4 hours the animals were euthanized and the Achilles tendon removed.

Protocol on induction of TMJ articular disc degeneration in rats by utilization of botulinum toxin.

Objective: To develop a model of experimental degeneration in the articular disc of the TMJ of rats through the use of botulinum toxin that can be used in future studies of degenerative diseases on fibrocartilage.

Methods: Aiming at the above-mentioned objective, 12 Lewis male rats were used and divided into two groups: CG, control group and DG, group of animals to which the botulinum toxin was administered (6 units/kg). The morphological analysis was carried out utilizing histological cuts stained with hematoxyline-eosine, toluidine blue and Picrosirius; the biochemical analysis was made by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.