l-Arginine is a feasible supplement to heal chronic anal fissure via reducing internal anal sphincter pressure: a randomized clinical trial study

The hypertonicity of internal anal sphincter resting pressure is one of the main causes of chronic anal fissure. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of oral administration of l-arginine on the improvement of the anal fissures by relaxing the internal anal sphincter. Seventy-six chronic anal fissure patients (aged 18–65 years) who were referred to Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital, Tehran, Iran from February 2019 to October 2020 participated in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Participants were allocated into treatment (l-arginine) and placebo groups. They took a 1000 mg capsule three times a day for 1 month, and then we followed them at the end of the first and third months after the intervention. Clinical symptoms, anal sphincter resting pressure, and quality of life (QoL) were completed at baseline and the end of the study. The analysis of data showed a significant decrease in bleeding, fissure size, and pain for each group; however, in the L-arginine group was more than the control group at the end of the study (P values < 0.001). Following that, a significant increase in QoL was seen just in patients treated with l-arginine (P value = 0.006). In addition, the comparison of anal pressures at baseline and, between groups at the end of the study showed a significant reduction in sphincter pressure in patients treated with l-arginine (P value < 0.001, = 0.049; respectively). The oral administration of 3000 mg l-arginine can heal chronic anal fissures by reducing internal anal sphincter pressure with more negligible side effects. However, we recommend long-term study with more extended follow-up. Clinical trial registry: IRCT20190712044182N1 at Iranian clinical trials, date: 2019-08-27.