Using Nitric Oxide to Treat Tendinopathy

Overview

Journal Br J Sports Med

Publisher BMJ Publishing Group

Specialty Orthopedics

Date 2007 Feb 10

PMID 17289859

Citations 28

Authors

George A C Murrell

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Nitric oxide (NO) is a small free radical generated by a family of enzymes, the nitric oxide synthases (NOSs). Following injury to a tendon, NO is induced by all three isoforms of NOS and NOS activity is also upregulated in tendinopathy. In animal models when NOS activity is inhibited by competitive inhibitors of NOS, tendon healing is reduced. When additional NO is added, tendon healing is enhanced. In humans, in three randomised clinical trials, we have shown that NO delivered via a transdermal patch enhances the subjective and objective recovery of patients with tennis elbow, Achilles tendinosis and supraspinatus tendinosis.

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References

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Paoloni J, Appleyard R, Nelson J, Murrell G . Topical glyceryl trinitrate application in the treatment of chronic supraspinatus tendinopathy: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Am J Sports Med. 2005; 33(6):806-13. DOI: 10.1177/0363546504270998. View

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