Treatment of tendopathies with tropisetron.

A comparison between a local anesthetic drug and the 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonist tropisetron in treating tendopathies or periarthropathies revealed that tropisetron has a longer effect on resting pain and pain on movement than the local anesthetic drug. The most likely explanation for this effect probably is a blocking of stimulated 5-HT3 receptors at the nociceptors in conjunction with an inhibited release of substance P and other neurokines because of this blockage. Further studies will have to show whether the action of tropisetron in tendopathies is as favorable as that of corticosteroids.