sildenafil-citrate and Tendinopathy

The primary goal was to assess the effects of chronic sildenafil treatment over the Achilles tendons in rats.. 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.. The animals exposed to sildenafil presented a much less organised tendon matrix, with reduced collagen I and non-collagenous protein content and a much higher decorin content.. The results observed in the animals can be characterised as tendinopathy, a condition not yet described as a sildenafil side effect.

Topics: Achilles Tendon; Animals; Collagen Type I; Disease Models, Animal; Male; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Sildenafil Citrate; Tendinopathy; Vasodilator Agents