Topic:Free Radicals
Free radicals are unstable molecules that contain unpaired electrons, making them highly reactive with other cellular structures. In horses, these molecules can be generated as byproducts of normal metabolic processes or through external factors such as environmental pollutants, intense exercise, or exposure to certain chemicals. The interaction of free radicals with cellular components can lead to oxidative stress, which may contribute to cell damage and has been associated with various equine health conditions. Antioxidant systems in horses, including enzymes and dietary antioxidants, help to neutralize free radicals and mitigate their potential harmful effects. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the sources, effects, and management of free radicals in equine physiology and health.
Oxygen radical production by horse and pig neutrophils induced by a range of crystals. The exposure of animal neutrophils to crystals implicated in joint inflammation induces superoxide and peroxide generation in a concentration and temperature dependent fashion. Active crystals were urate, hydroxyapatite, pyrophosphate and brushite; diamond and cholesterol were inactive. Cytochalasin B increased superoxide yield after addition of brushite, and inhibitors of the PMA induced respiratory burst blocked the crystal induced response. Addition of urate to anaerobic neutrophils causes the reduction of a b-type cytochrome, a likely component of the neutrophil superoxide generating syste...