Impact of pentadecapeptide BPC 157 on muscle healing impaired by systemic corticosteroid application.

BACKGROUND: The effect of systemic and local peptide treatment effective in muscle contusion and then on counteraction of corticosteroid-induced impairment was tested. The pentadecapeptide BPC 157, given without a carrier, improved the healing of transected quadriceps muscle. It also improved muscle healing in rats with muscle crush injury when applied systemically or locally. Importantly, it counteracted corticosteroid-impairment in tendon to bone healing. Thus BPC 157 is proposed as an effective treatment that can improve muscle healing in spite of corticosteroid treatment. MATERIAL/METHODS: After the gastrocnemius muscle complex had been injured, rats received BPC 157 (intraperitoneally or locally as a cream) and/or 6alpha-methylprednisolone (intraperitoneally) only once (immediately after injury, sacrifice at 2 h) or once daily (final dose 24 hours before sacrifice and/or assessment procedure at days 1, 2, 4, 7, and 14). Muscle healing was evaluated functionally, macroscopically, and histologically. RESULTS: Without therapy, crushed gastrocnemius muscle complex controls showed limited improvement. 6alpha-methylprednisolone markedly aggravated healing. In contrast, BPC 157 induced faster muscle healing and full function restoration and improved muscle healing despite systemic corticosteroid treatment when given intraperitoneally or locally and demonstrated functionally, macroscopically, and histologically at all investigated intervals. CONCLUSIONS: BPC 157 completely reversed systemic corticosteroid-impaired muscle healing.

Gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 as an effective therapy for muscle crush injury in the rat.

PURPOSE: Stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 accelerates the healing of a transected Achilles tendon and a transected quadriceps muscle. It may also be of clinical relevance as a systemic and local peptide treatment for crush injury of a major muscle, such as gastrocnemius muscle complex. BPC 157 is effective without a carrier, and it is presently undergoing trials for inflammatory bowel disease, and no toxicity has so far been reported. METHODS: In crushed rats (force delivered 0.727 Ns/cm2), BPC 157 was applied either intraperitoneally or locally, as a thin cream layer, immediately after injury (sacrifice at 2 h), and once a day for 14 days. RESULTS: BPC 157 improved muscle healing, macroscopically (less hematoma and edema, no post-injury leg contracture), microscopically, functionally, and also based on enzyme activity (creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase). CONCLUSION: BPC 157, at all investigated intervals, given locally or intraperitoneally, accelerated post-injury muscle healing and also helped to restore the full function.