Therapeutic massage with nanostructured lipid carrier gel containing quercetin for muscle injury treatment in rats.

Quercetin has therapeutic potential in the treatment of musculoskeletal lesions, but presents poor oral absorption because of its low water solubility and structural instability. Its penetration through the skin can be enhanced by quercetin-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC-Q), which is increased when applied with massage, but this has not yet been tested. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of massage with NLC-Q gel on biochemical parameters after a traumatic lesion of the gastrocnemius muscle. Forty-five male Wistar rats were divided into five groups (control, lesion, lesion treated with NLC-Q gel, lesion treated by massage with placebo gel, and lesion treated by massage with NLC-Q gel). The gastrocnemius muscle was lesioned by mechanical crushing, and treatments began 24 h after injury. Massage was performed at 12 h intervals for a total of five 5-min sessions. Serum and muscle creatine kinase (CK) concentrations and muscle oxidative stress (concentration of reactive oxygen species [ROS], lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyls, and activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase enzymes) were evaluated 96 h after lesion formation. Blood CK levels increased in all injured groups (P<0.001); however, the interventions reduced plasma CK compared to the lesion group (P<0.05). Interventions reduced lipid peroxidation (P<0.05), but only the NLC-Q gel and massage with NLC-Q gel reduced the concentration of ROS and protein oxidation in the lesion group (P<0.05). These findings indicated that NLC-Q gel and massage with NLC-Q gel can help repair muscle damage and reduce oxidative stress parameters.