Histpathological Anti-inflammatory Effects of Flunixin Meglumine and Ketoprofen on Excised Rat Tendon

Objective- This research was conducted to study the effect of flunixin meglumine and ketoprofen on the healing of excisional wounding in the tendon of rats. Design- Experimental study. Animals- Twenty rats were equally divided into four groups of control, placebo (excised tendon receiving saline solution), flunixin and ketoprofen. Procedures- Right Achill complex of all groups underwent full thickness tenotomy. All the rats, except control group, received normal saline, flunixin meglumine or ketoprofen, respectively after operation for 7 days. After euthanasia of all animals on the day 15, the Achill complex was dissected free and prepared for histopathologic study. Neovascularization, edema and inflammatory cell infiltration, fibrin layer formation as well as fibroblast and fibrocyte counts were considered for the evaluation of healing process. Neovascularization, edema and inflammatory cell infiltration were scored from 0 to 3. Results- Results showed no significant change in number of fibroblasts between the groups. Reduced angiogenesis in both treatment groups of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was observed. Conclusion and Clinical Relevance- Our findings showed that anti inflammatory effects of ketoprofen is slightly more potent than flunixin meglumine, although differences were not statistically significant.