Local Administration of Curcumin for Treatment of Acute Superficial Flexor Tendon Injuries in Donkey: An Experimental Study.

Superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) injuries are the most common injury of equine tendons because of exposure to repetitive trauma. Therefore, the study was aimed to investigate the effect of local application of curcumin (CUR) on donkey tendon injuries. Six adult donkeys were used in this study. Circular defects were created in SDFT at the level of midmetacarpus using biopsy punch (3mm). Immediately, after performing the defect, curcumin paste was applied locally inside the defect. An ultrasonographic examinations were recorded at 60 and 120 days postoperatively, then histopathological evaluation was performed using HE and Masson’s trichrome stains. With transverse ultrasound images, complete filling of the SDFT defect with new informed tissue was noticed after application of CUR through absence of the hypoechoic zone at 120th day. However, the anechoic and hypoechoic zones were detected at the site of the defect at 60 days. Local application of curcumin improved healing of the tendon injury.