Effects of Therapeutic Pulsed Ultrasound and Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) Phonophoresis on Parameters of Oxidative Stress in Traumatized Muscle

Many studies have demonstrated an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative damage markers after muscle damage. Phonophoresis aims to achieve therapeutically relevant concentrations of the transdermally introduced drug in the tissues subjected to the procedure by the use ultrasound waves. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects on the therapeutic pulsed ultrasound (TPU) together with gel-dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) in the parameters of muscular damage and oxidative stress. Male Wistar rats were divided randomly into six groups (n = 6): sham (uninjured muscle); muscle injury without treatment; muscle injury and treatment with gel-saline (0.9%); muscle injury and treatment with gel-DMSO (15 mg/kg); muscle injury and TPU plus gel-saline; and muscle injury and TPU plus gel-DMSO. Gastrocnemius injury was induced by a single impact blunt trauma. TPU (6 min duration, frequency of 1.0 MHz, intensity of 0.8 W/cm²) was used 2, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h after muscle trauma. The CK and acid phosphatase activity in serum was used as an indicator of skeletal muscle injury. Superoxide anion, TBARS, protein carbonyls, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity was used as indicators of stress oxidative. Results showed that TPU and gel-DMSO improved muscle healing. Moreover, superoxide anion production, TBARS level and protein carbonyls levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity were all decreased in the group TPU plus gel-DMSO. Our results show that DMSO is effective in the reduction of the muscular lesion and in the oxidative stress after mechanical trauma only when used with TPU. (E-mail: silveira_paulo2004@yahoo.com.br)