Acai extract has been investigated as a pharmacological strategy due to its anti- inflammatory, antioxidant and antinociceptive effects. Furthermore, studies report that low-intensity laser (LBT) may favor tissue repair due to its proliferative effects in increasing the number of fibroblasts and collagen synthesis. Therefore, the combined use of açaí with LBT may be a therapeutic alternative in the management of tendon repair. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of combined treatment with açaí gel and LBT on the morphofunctional and nociceptive aspects of Achilles tendon injury in the proliferative phase of repair. For this, 40 Wistar rats were divided into control group (CTRL), injury (INJURY), 10% açaí gel (INJURY+GA), 2J infrared laser, (INJURY+LAS) and combined treatment (INJURY+LAS+GA). The Von Frey test, Joint Angle and Achilles Functional Index were performed at 0-, 3-, 7-
, and 14-days post-injury (DPL). After 14 days, the tendons were collected and the tissue organization pattern was analyzed by H&E or Alcian Blue to assess variations in glycosaminoglycans in the extracellular matrix, staining with DAPI to quantify the number of cells and collagen autofluorescence to assess the orientation pattern of collagen fibers. We demonstrated improvement in the macroscopic characteristics of the tendon in the treatment groups in relation to INJURY, which may be correlated with better organization and tissue orientation, as well as collagen fibers in these groups. The increase in the number of cells and fibroblasts was more evident in the laser group, emphasizing the proliferative role of the laser. Functional recovery was observed in 7 DPL in the isolated laser group, while the combined treatment improved nociception in the acute phase (7th DPL). In the proliferative phase (14th DPL), the IFA showed improvement in functional aspects in the combined treatment group. On the other hand, nociceptive sensitivity was reestablished in all treatment groups. In summary, our findings indicate that the combined use of açaí gel with LBT may be a therapeutic alternative in the management of tendon injury repair.
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