Omneity® Pellets
All-In-One Vitamin & Mineral Pellet
Topic:Antioxidants
Antioxidants in horses refer to a group of molecules that help protect cells from oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). These compounds can be naturally occurring within the horse's body or obtained through diet. Antioxidants play a role in maintaining cellular integrity and supporting overall health by neutralizing free radicals. Common antioxidants relevant to equine health include vitamin E, vitamin C, and glutathione. Their presence and activity in the body are influenced by factors such as diet, exercise, and environmental conditions. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the sources, mechanisms, and potential impacts of antioxidants on equine physiology and well-being.
Molecular docking and experimental validation of the effect of ergothioneine on heat shock protein-70 following endurance exercise by Arabian stallions. Exercise-induced oxidative stress is a challenge in equine sports. This study aims at determining the effects of ergothioneine on heat shock protein-70 (HSP-70) following the stress of an endurance exercise of 30 km by Arabian stallions. Molecular docking was also done to investigate the interaction between the ligand ergothioneine and heat shock protein-70 using sulfogalactosylceramide and sulfogalactoglycerolipid as standards. The study involved a total of 18 clinically healthy stallions, with an average age of 6.7 ± 2.4 years and an average weight of 411.54 ± 12.46 kg. Only cli...
Impact of Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation on Skeletal Muscle Respiration, Antioxidants, and the Muscle Proteome in Thoroughbred Horses. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an essential component of the mitochondrial electron transfer system and a potent antioxidant. The impact of CoQ10 supplementation on mitochondrial capacities and the muscle proteome is largely unknown. This study determined the effect of CoQ10 supplementation on muscle CoQ10 concentrations, antioxidant balance, the proteome, and mitochondrial respiratory capacities. In a randomized cross-over design, six Thoroughbred horses received 1600 mg/d CoQ10 or no supplement (control) for 30-d periods separated by a 60-d washout. Muscle samples were taken at the end of each peri...
A Combination of Taurine and Caffeine in Stallion Semen Extender Positively Affects the Spermatozoa Parameters. This study was aimed to determine the impact of different taurine and caffeine combinations on the motility, viability, and oxidative markers of chilled stallion spermatozoa. Each stallion semen sample was diluted in a ratio of 1:2, with various taurine and caffeine concentrations (2.5-7.5 mg/mL taurine + 0.625-1.25 mg/mL caffeine) dissolved in a conventional extender. The control samples (CON) were prepared by diluting ejaculate only using the conventional extender. The motility was analyzed using a CASA system at different time intervals (0, 6, 12, 24, and 30 h) and the viability was evaluat...
Donkey Milk: An Overview of its Chemical Composition and Main Nutritional Properties or Human Health Benefit Properties. The donkey milk has a remarkable similarity to human milk, in addition to its valuable nutritional composition and content of numerous immune factors. The donkey milk is the subject of research worldwide, and data from the literature suggest significant differences with respect to the contents of individual components. However, some basic characteristics of donkey milk have been established: low contents of fat and cholesterol, total proteins and casein and high contents of lactose, whey proteins, calcium, selenium, and Vitamin D3. The donkey milk is rich in various protective proteins (α-lac...
Comparison of an Antioxidant Source and Antioxidant Plus BCAA on Athletic Performance and Post Exercise Recovery of Horses. Antioxidant supplementation decreases postexercise oxidative stress but could also decrease muscle protein synthesis. This study compared the effects of three diets: low antioxidant (control, CON), high antioxidant (AO), and branched-chain amino acid high antioxidant (BCAO) supplementation on postexercise protein synthesis and oxidative stress. We hypothesized that supplementing antioxidants with branched-chain amino acids(BCAA) would reduce oxidative stress without hindering muscle protein synthesis. Eighteen mixed-breed polo horses (11 mares and 7 geldings, with age range between 5 and 18 ye...
Effect of different concentrations of Trolox® in association with docosahexaenoic acid on equine semen freezing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of different concentrations of Trolox and the addition of a fixed concentration of DHA in the freezing of semen of Mangalarga Marchador stallions. To that end, 16 ejaculates were frozen in the following extenders: E1) BotuCrio (BC; Control); E2) BC + 50 ngml DHA + 30 µM Trolox (BCDHA30T); E3) BC + 50 ngml DHA + 40 µM Trolox (BCDHA40T); E4) BC + 50 ngml DHA + 50 µM Trolox (BCDHA50T). All the tested extenders were similar in preserving different kinematic parameters, cell functional integrity, compacted DNA, and high and intermediate mitoc...
Use of Milk Thistle in Farm and Companion Animals: A Review. Milk thistle, Silybum marianum, is a medicinal plant grown for its bioactive compounds with well-documented antioxidant and hepatoprotective properties. Milk thistle has a well-established pharmacological reputation for treatments of human liver disease, but it is also used in animals. This review summarizes the experimental evidence of milk thistle's effects on animals when administered as silymarin extract (feed additive) or a feed ingredient, if administered as seed or expeller/cake with the seed residue still containing the bioactive components. The use as a feed additive or feed ingredien...
Effect of the Administration of a Nutraceutical Supplement in Racehorses with Lower Airway Inflammation. Mild−moderate equine asthma (MEA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the lower airways of the horse, characterized by tracheal mucus accumulation, cough and poor performance. The therapeutic approach is based on pharmacological treatment and environmental management. Moreover, the efficacy of the administration of antioxidant molecules has been reported. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the administration of a commercial nutraceutical supplement, composed of several herbal extracts, on lower airway inflammation in racehorses. Twelve Thoroughbreds affected by MEA ...
Photoperiod-dependent changes in oxidative stress markers in the blood of Shetland pony mares and stallions involved in recreational horseback riding. The objective of the current study was to determine the photoperiod-induced variations and the impact of exercise on oxidative stress biomarkers [2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), aldehydic (AD) and ketonic (KD) derivatives of oxidatively modified proteins (OMP), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)] and biomarkers of metabolic alterations [glucose, urea, and uric acid and the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)] in the blood of Shetland pony mares and stallions involved in recreati...
Spirulina Supplementation to the Semen Extender Influences the Quality and Antioxidant Parameters of Chilled or Cryopreserved Arabian Stallion Spermatozoa. The present study attempted to investigate the effect of various concentrations of spirulina platensis additions to the semen extender on Arabian stallion spermatozoa quality. Semen samples were collected with artificial vagina from five fertile stallions and diluted with an extender containing spirulina (2, 4, 6, and 8 mg/100 mL) or without spirulina (control). Aliquots of diluted semen were cooled (5°C, 90 minutes) and frozen (-196°C, 7 days), then physical traits of thawed spermatozoa were examined. Furthermore, antioxidant activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (...
Elevated dietary selenium rescues mitochondrial capacity impairment induced by decreased vitamin E intake in young exercising horses. Maintenance of mitochondrial health, which is supported in part by dietary antioxidants such as selenium (Se) and vitamin E (vitE), is pertinent to optimizing athletic performance. Deficiencies in Se and vitE negatively impact muscle health but mitochondrial adaptations to various levels of dietary Se and vitE are poorly understood. Young Quarter Horses (mean ± SD: 17.6 ± 0.9 mo) undergoing submaximal exercise training were used to test the hypothesis that a proprietary antioxidant blend containing elevated Se yeast (EconomasE, Alltech, Inc., Nicholasville, KY) would improve mitochondrial ch...
Astaxanthin Carotenoid Modulates Oxidative Stress in Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells Isolated from Equine Metabolic Syndrome Affected Horses by Targeting Mitochondrial Biogenesis. Astaxanthin is gaining recognition as a natural bioactive component. This study aimed to test whether astaxanthin could protect adipose-derived stromal stem cells (ASCs) from apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. was used to extract astaxanthin, whose biocompatibility was tested after 24, 48 and 72 h of incubation with the cells; no harmful impact was found. ASCs were treated with optimal concentrations of astaxanthin. Several parameters were examined: cell viability, apoptosis, reactive oxygen levels, mitochondrial dynamics and metabolism, superoxide dismutase activity, ...
Plasma ascorbic acid, antioxidant capacity, and reactive oxygen species in healthy foals. To describe ascorbic acid (AA) concentrations, plasma antioxidant capacity (PAC) and markers of oxidative stress, as measured by derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites (dROMs), in healthy foals at birth and during the first month of life. Methods: Venous blood samples were collected from healthy Standardbred (n = 13) and Quarter Horse (n = 10) foals. Plasma AA, PAC, and dROMs were assessed at 3 to 12 hours, 3 days, and 1, 2, and 4 weeks of age. Methods: AA was measured via high-performance liquid chromatography. PAC and dROMs were measured with a free radical analytical system. Comparisons...
Seminal Plasma Antioxidants Are Related to Sperm Cryotolerance in the Horse. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship of enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, SOD; glutathione peroxidase, GPX; catalase, CAT; and paraoxonase type 1, PON1) and non-enzymatic antioxidants (measured in terms of: Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, TEAC; cupric-reducing antioxidant capacity, CUPRAC; and ferric-reducing ability of plasma, FRAP), as well as the oxidative stress index (OSI) in seminal plasma (SP) with the resilience of horse sperm to freeze-thawing. Twenty-one ejaculates (one per individual) were collected and split into two aliquots: the first was used to h...
Coenzyme Q10 and melatonin protect cryopreserved equine sperm against lipoperoxidation. The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the effect of the addition of different concentrations of the antioxidants Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and melatonin to equine semen freezing diluent, alone or in combination, during the cryopreservation process. Twenty ejaculates (n = 5 stallions) were divided in groups: Control (C, without the addition of antioxidants), melatonin 0.75 mM (MEL1), melatonin 1.5 mM (MEL2), CoQ10 40 μg/mL (Q1), CoQ10 200 μg/mL (Q2), and CoQ10 40 μg/mL+ 0.75 mM melatonin (Q1 +MEL1). Q1 and Q2 groups demonstrated intact plasma membrane and high mitochondrial me...
Oxidant and Antioxidant Parameters’ Assessment Together with Homocysteine and Muscle Enzymes in Racehorses: Evaluation of Positive Effects of Exercise. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in serum oxidant and antioxidant parameters together with the serum values of homocysteine (Hcy) and muscle enzymes including creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in regularly trained athletic horses during official races of 1200, 1600 and 2000 m. Thirty Thoroughbred horses were divided into three groups of 10 subjects each according to the race distance: Group 1, 1200 m race; Group 2, 1600 m race; Group 3, 2000 m race. Blood samples were collected from horses 1 week prior to the race (1WB), on the day o...
Influence of Dietary Selenium on the Oxidative Stress in Horses. The objective of this review was to analyze the effect of dietary selenium on oxidative stress in horses by considering past and recent bibliographic sources. Some research was done on oxidative stress, related pathologies and how selenium regulates oxidative stress. Oxidizing molecules are molecules that can accept electrons from the substances with which they react. Oxidizing These molecules, of oxidizing, are found naturally in any organism, and there are antioxidant mechanisms that regulate its activity. However, when the body is stressed, oxidizing molecules outperform the antioxidants, c...
A Systematic Review of the Bioactive Components, Nutritional Qualities and Potential Therapeutic Applications of Donkey Milk. In addition to providing individualized, specific, and ample nutritional compounds, donkey milk (DM) offers immunological modulation during health and disease. Recently, DM has attracted major interest in preparing infant formulas due to its similarity to human milk in terms of high protein and lactose content and low-fat concentration. The antimicrobial, anti-inflammation, antioxidant, and hypo-allergenicity properties of DM in human infants are well-documented. The purpose of this review is to summarize the knowledge of studies done in characterizing the composition of DM, including bioactiv...
Biological Potential of Polyphenols in the Context of Metabolic Syndrome: An Analysis of Studies on Animal Models. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a disease that has a complex etiology. It is defined as the co-occurrence of several pathophysiological disorders, including obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. MetS is currently a severe problem in the public health care system. As its prevalence increases every year, it is now considered a global problem among adults and young populations. The treatment of choice comprises lifestyle changes based mainly on diet and physical activity. Therefore, researchers have been attempting to discover new substances that could help reduce or even reverse t...
Effect of Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) Seed Cakes by Horses Subjected to Physical Exertion. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) provides several possible benefits for horses, namely anti-inflammatory, antioxidant effects, hepatoprotective, and neuroprotective effects. Silybin exerts also pronounced effects on energy metabolism, that could be useful for sport horses. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of milk thistle seed cakes (in the form of a granulated mixture with barley) on blood biochemical parameters (total protein, albumin, bilirubin, urea, creatinine, ALT, AST, ALP, GGT, LDH, the total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, TAG, BHB, NEFA, creatine kinase, l...
Oxidative stress biomarkers and free amino acid concentrations in the blood plasma of moderately exercised horses indicate adaptive response to prolonged exercise training. Oxidative stress caused by routine physical stressors may negatively impact the performance of equine athletes; thus, the present study identifies oxidative biomarkers in the blood plasma of exercising horses. Stock-type horses were subject to a standardized moderate-intensity exercise protocol 3 times per week for 8 wk. Exercise protocol followed NRC guidelines consisting of 30% walk, 55% trot, and 15% canter, with a target heart rate (HR) of 90 BPM. Blood plasma was collected in wk 1, 2, 7, and 8 immediately before and 0, 30, 60, and 90 min after exercise and analyzed for total antioxidant...
Seminal lipid profiling and antioxidant capacity: A species comparison. On their way to the oocyte, sperm cells are subjected to oxidative stress, which may trigger the oxidation of phospholipids (PL). Applying MALDI-TOF MS, HPTLC and ESI-IT MS, we comparatively analyzed the PL compositions of semen and blood of species differing in their reproductive systems and types of nutrition (bull, boar, stallion, lion and man) with regard to the sensitivity to oxidation as well as the accumulation of harmful lyso-PL (LPL), transient products of lipid oxidation. In addition, the protective capacity of seminal fluid (SF) was also examined. The PL composition of erythrocytes ...
Is stallion epididymal fluid phosphoproteome affected by the equine reproductive season? Phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of proteins are considered to be the most important processes in sperm maturation during epididymal transit. The main aim of this study was to isolate and identify phosphoproteins from the epididymal milieu obtained from reproductively mature stallions during and out of the breeding season. With the use of 1D-PAGE and nanoLC-MS/MS, we identified phosphoproteins that fulfil various functions: regulatory, transport, motility, ubiquitination, chaperone, antioxidant, apoptotic and enzymatic. Moreover, we characterized tyrosine, serine and threonine phosphoryla...
Impact of Seminal Plasma Antioxidants on Donkey Sperm Cryotolerance. This study investigated whether the activities of the antioxidant components of donkey seminal plasma (SP)-both enzymatic (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase-like (CAT), glutathione peroxidase-like (GPX), and paraoxonase type 1 (PON1)) and non-enzymatic (measured in terms of total thiol, copper-reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), ferric-reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC))-and oxidative stress index (OSI) are related to sperm cryotolerance. For this purpose, 15 ejaculates from jackasses (one per individual) were collected and split into tw...
Oocyte metabolic function, lipid composition, and developmental potential are altered by diet in older mares. Dietary supplementation is the most feasible method to improve oocyte function and developmental potential . During three experiments, oocytes were collected from maturing, dominant follicles of older mares to determine whether short-term dietary supplements can alter oocyte metabolic function, lipid composition, and developmental potential. Over approximately 8 weeks, control mares were fed hay (CON) or hay and grain products (COB). Treated mares received supplements designed for equine wellness and gastrointestinal health, flaxseed oil, and a proprietary blend of fatty acid and antioxidant s...
Dietary Supplements of Vitamins E, C, and β-Carotene to Reduce Oxidative Stress in Horses: An Overview. Oxidative stress is the excess generation of free radicals and/or a decrease in the response of the antioxidant system. It is known to cause damage to the equine health by unbalancing the stable molecules. The dietary supplementation of vitamins E, C, and β-carotene cause beneficial effect on horses' health. These supplements could transform free radicals into the stable radicals, thereby showing importance in the prevention of diseases associated with oxidative stress. Adding vitamins E, C, and β-carotene to the horses' diets in stressful conditions could decrease the production of free rad...
Innovative Blood Antioxidant Test in Standardbred Trotter Horses. In athletic horses, prolonged and intense training gives rise to an imbalance between the production of free radicals and antioxidant molecules, leading to oxidative stress. Considering the relation between exercise and oxidative stress in horses, the present work aims to validate the Kit Radicaux Libres (KRL) test as a tool to verify the influence of taming, training and racing on the total blood antioxidant activity and some haematochemical parameters. Five Italian Standardbred racehorses (two males and three females, aged 12 ± 1 months) from the same training center were selected and monit...
Advances in sperm cryopreservation in farm animals: Cattle, horse, pig and sheep. Sperm cryopreservation is one of the most important procedures in the development of biotechnologies for assisted reproduction. In some farm animals, the use of cryopreserved sperm has so many benefits for which relevance has become more evident in recent decades. Values for post-thaw sperm quality, however, are variable among species and within individuals of the same species. There is no standardized methodology for each of the stages of the cryopreservation procedure (andrological examination, semen collection, dilution, centrifugation, resuspension of the pellet with the freezing medium, p...
Addition of Reduced Glutathione (GSH) to Freezing Medium Reduces Intracellular ROS Levels in Donkey Sperm. In donkeys, the use of frozen-thawed sperm for artificial insemination (AI) leads to low fertility rates. Furthermore, donkey sperm produce a large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and post-AI inflammation induces the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETosis), which further generates many more ROS. These high ROS levels may induce lipid peroxidation in the sperm plasma membrane, thus affecting its integrity. Enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, mainly found in the seminal plasma (SP), are responsible for maintaining the redox balance. However, this fluid is removed pri...
Edible bird’s nest supplementation in chilled and cryopreserved Arabian stallion semen. Diluents and various biological products have been used in different animal species, with promising outcomes in post-thaw sperm quality. Nevertheless, only a few reports are available for the semen of Arabian horses. Edible bird's nest (EBN) - a product of the salivary secretions of swiftlet species is widely known to have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Presently, there is no data available on the role of EBN supplemented in different extenders and its effect on semen quality in stallion semen. Two in vitro experiments were conducted to examine the effects of edible bird's ...
