Histological Evaluation of the Effect of Sildenafil and Pentoxifylline on Mandibular Fracture Healing in Rats

Despite the advances in maxillofacial surgery, impaired bone healing remains a concern for surgical teams. Effects of sildenafil and pentoxifylline on healing of bone fractures have not been well investigated. This study aimed to assess the effects of sildenafil and pentoxifylline phosphodiesterase inhibitors on healing of mandibular fractures in rats.

In this animal study, 48 Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups (n=8). Mandibular fracture was induced in all rats. After the surgical procedure, C2 group (control, 2 weeks) received saline, S2 group (sildenafil, 2 weeks) received 10 mg/kg sildenafil, and P2 group (pentoxifylline, 2 weeks) received 50 mg/kg pentoxifylline. The rats were sacrificed after 2 weeks. C6 (control, 6 weeks), S6 (sildenafil, 6 weeks), and P6 (pentoxifylline, 6 weeks) groups received pharmaceutical therapy as in C2, S2, and P2 but were sacrificed after 6 weeks. The samples then underwent histological analysis. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22 via one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s post-hoc test.

The mean rate of healing of mandibular fractures in S2 and P2 was significantly higher than that in C2 after 2 weeks (P<0.001). The mean rate of healing of fractures in P2 was higher than that in S2 after 2 weeks (P=0.04). The mean rate of healing of fractures in S6 (P=0.001) and P6 (P=0.004) was significantly higher than that in C6 after 6 weeks but no significant difference was noted between P6 and S6 in this respect (P=0.53).

Sildenafil and pentoxifylline can be used as adjuncts to enhance bone healing.