Antioxidant properties of Artemisia absinthium accelerate healing of experimental Achilles tendon injury in rabbits

Abstract

Introduction: Delayed tendon healing is still found to be among the complications that occur most often after tendon repair. Objective: The role of local injection of Artemisia absinthium was evaluated in healing of experimental Achilles tendon injury in rabbits. Methods:. In nine adult New Zealand rabbits a partial thickness tenotomy was created on both hindlimbs. A. absinthium extract and normal saline were respectively injected daily to treatment and control groups for three days. Results: On the day 7 after injury, the tendon sections showed that healing rate in A. absinthium treated group was higher than that in control group. Furthermore, at days 14 and 28, comparison between A. absinthium treated group and control group demonstrated that A. absinthium increased the healing rate but with no significance. Conclusions: Results of this study have showed that application of A. absinthium extract can improve healing process of damaged Achilles tendon.