C₆₀ fullerene improves the contractile activity of the injured rat muscle gastrocnemius

The powerful antioxidant properties of C₆₀fullerenes have been widely used in biomedical nanotechnology. Owing to the negative effects of free radicals in oxidative stress processes, antioxidants are required to protect injured muscles. Here, the effect of water-soluble C₆₀fullerenes (daily oral dose 1 mg kg^-1) on the process of restoration of contractile activity of skeletal muscle of rats (<i>muscle gastrocnemius</i>) 15 d after the initiation of open trauma of different severity was studied for the first time. The structural organization of C₆₀fullerene nanoparticles in aqueous solution was analyzed by dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy techniques. Such biomechanical parameters of<i>muscle gastrocnemius</i>contraction as integrated muscle power, levels of generation of its maximum and minimum force, and time interval until reaching 50% of the level of force response of the muscle were analyzed. Such biochemical indices as concentrations of c-reactive protein, creatinine, and lactate in the rat blood, as well as indices of pro- and antioxidant balance (activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase, the concentration of reduced glutathione) in the blood and muscle tissue of experimental animals, were investigated. It was found that application of water-soluble C₆₀fullerenes statistically significantly improves biomechanical parameters of contraction of injured<i>muscle gastrocnemius</i>at the level of 30-45 ± 3%, which is confirmed by normalization of biochemical indices in the blood and muscle tissue of rats at the level of 35-50 ± 3% and 20-37 ± 3%, correspondingly, relative to the open injury group. These findings open the possibility of using C₆₀fullerenes as potential therapeutic nanoagents capable of correcting pathological states of the muscular system during the physiological repair of open injuries.