Research
Mixed
Anti-fibrotic therapies, specifically those neutralizing TGF-β1 (e.g., Losartan, Suramin, Decorin), reduce muscle fibrosis and improve healing in severe muscle injuries.
For severe muscle tears, doctors may consider anti-fibrotic treatments like Losartan (an existing blood pressure drug) to reduce scarring and improve healing. This approach targets the root cause of functional loss in severe injuries.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Indeed, the use of anti-fibrotic agents (ie decorin, relaxin, antibody against TGF-β1…) that inactivate TGF-β1 signaling pathways reduces muscle fibrosis and, consequently, improve muscle healing, leading to a near complete recovery of lacerated muscle.
Why this rating
Based on animal models and FDA-approved drugs repurposed for this indication.
Source
Muscle injuries and strategies for improving their repair
Thomas Laumonier et al. · Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics · 2016
DOI 10.1186/s40634-016-0051-7
narrative_reviewCited 272×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections show no significant positive effect on muscle injury recovery compared to placebo in randomized clinical trials, despite widespread clinical use.Strong
- Severe muscle injuries heal incompletely with fibrotic tissue formation that impairs function, whereas minor injuries (strains) heal spontaneously without significant fibrosis.Good
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