Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 (PL 14736) improves ligament healing in the rat.

Abstract

We improved medial collateral ligament (MCL) healing throughout 90 days after surgical transection. We introduced intraperitoneal, per-oral (in drinking water) and topical (thin cream layer) peptide therapy always given alone, without a carrier. Previously, as an effective peptide therapy, stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 (GEPPPGKPADDAGLV, an anti-ulcer peptide effective in inflammatory bowel disease therapy (PL 14736)) particularly improved healing of transected tendon and muscle and wound healing effect including the expression of the early growth response 1 (egr-1) gene. After MCL transection BPC 157 was effective in rats when given once daily intraperitoneally (10 microg or 10 ng/kg) or locally as a thin layer (1.0 microg dissolved in distilled water/g commercial neutral cream) at the site of injury, first application 30 min after surgery and the final application 24 h before sacrifice. Likewise, BPC 157 was effective given per-orally (0.16 microg/ml in the drinking water (12 ml/day/rat)) until sacrifice. Commonly, BPC 157 microg-ng-rats exhibited consistent functional, biomechanical, macroscopic and histological healing improvements. Thus, we suggest BPC 157 improved healing of acute ligament injuries in further ligament therapy.