Pharmacokinetics in horses involves the study of how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted in equine species. This field of study provides insights into the time course of drug concentrations within the horse's body and helps in understanding the effects of various pharmaceuticals. Key parameters in equine pharmacokinetics include absorption rates, bioavailability, half-life, and clearance. These parameters can vary significantly due to factors such as age, breed, and health status of the horse. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the pharmacokinetic profiles of different drugs in horses, aiming to optimize dosing regimens and improve therapeutic outcomes in equine medicine.
Macias A, Delvescovo B, Donaldson SF, Divers TJ, Donnelly CG.Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a secondary bile acid (BA) with therapeutic applications, is standard therapy for cholestatic hepatopathies in humans. In recent years, its use has been increasingly explored in equine medicine for similar indications. Pharmacokinetic data for UDCA in horses are currently lacking. This study aimed to describe the pharmacokinetic parameters following a single intragastric administration of 15 mg/kg in nine healthy, fasted horses and to characterize the changes in their BA profiles. Plasma concentrations of UDCA were measured at specific time points using liquid ch...
Morales CJ, Sykes BW, McKemie DS, Kass PH, Knych HK.Current treatment options for equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS), such as omeprazole-a proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-have notable limitations, including the need for administration on an empty stomach. Potassium-competitive acid blockers (P-CABs), such as vonoprazan, are a newer class of acid suppressants that offer several advantages over PPIs in humans and may provide similar benefits in horses. Objective: To describe the pharmacokinetics and effect of a single oral dose of vonoprazan on intragastric pH in horses. We hypothesised that vonoprazan would follow linear kinetics across the doses ...
Calero IM, McKenzie EC, Johns JL.This report describes the diagnosis and successful management of a yearling filly with Coombs-positive anemia, thrombocytopenia, and fungal pneumonia. Diagnostic procedures, including thoracic ultrasonography and radiography, respiratory pathogen PCR testing, and evaluation of tracheal wash and bronchoalveolar lavage samples established multi-pathogen lower respiratory tract infection including a fungal agent. Orally administered voriconazole was a key component of treatment in this case to successfully eliminate fungal infection, alongside therapies for managing hematologic disease. This case...
Michanek P, Bröjer J, Lilliehöök I, Fjordbakk C, Erkas M, Löwgren M, Hedeland M, Bergquist J, Ekstrand C.Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors like canagliflozin (CFZ) have shown promise in preventing hyperinsulinemia-associated laminitis in horses, but data on pharmacokinetics, tolerability, and controlled studies are limited. This randomized, open-label, placebo-controlled, crossover study evaluated these aspects of CFZ treatment in eight healthy Standardbred mares. Each horse received single supratherapeutic oral doses of CFZ (1.8 mg/kg or 3.6 mg/kg) and placebo, with a two-week washout between treatments. A graded glucose infusion (GGI) was administered post-treatment to evaluate glu...
Barbosa LA, Maran AP, de Almeida MER, Guimarães EC, Bringel B, Douglas RH, Lima TFG, da Silva ESM.A longer endometrial exposure to estradiol before progesterone has been shown to be beneficial in cyclic and acyclic recipient mares. Therefore, the selection of an estradiol ester that promotes longer endometrial exposure to estradiol using a single administration would be advantageous when preparing acyclic mares as embryo recipients. This study investigated plasma estradiol profiles in acyclic mares after a single administration of 17-β estradiol (17-β), estradiol benzoate (EB) and estradiol cypionate (EC), and the correlation between plasma concentrations and endometrial edema. Fifteen n...
Bacon EK, Finno CJ, Donnelly CG, Haase B, Knych HK, Velie BD.Clinical assessments of equine sedation typically rely on subjective observations, the accuracy of which is paramount to the safety of equine veterinary procedures. Methods: To assess the degree in which subjective clinical sedative evaluations reflect pharmacokinetic measurements of equine drug metabolism, xylazine hydrochloride, an alpha-2 adrenoreceptor agonist, was administered to 36 horses of varying breed and age at a dosage of 0.5 mg/kg body weight. Subjective clinical parameters were scored at 5-, 15-, 30-, 45- and 60-minutes post xylazine administration and included responsiveness to ...
Kuroda T, Minamijima Y, Niwa H, Mita H, Nomura M, Ohta M.A pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) approach was used to determine the dosage regimens of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections after intravenous (IV) and per os (PO) administration in horses. Methods: Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole plasma concentrations were measured in six horses after a single IV administration of 15 mg/kg (2.5 mg/kg trimethoprim and 12.5 mg/kg sulfamethoxazole) and PO administration of 30 mg/kg (5.0 mg/kg trimethoprim and 25.0 mg/kg sulfamethoxazole). The data were modeled using a nonlinear mixed-effects mode...
So YM, Kwok WH, Tang CWY, Wong COL, Wan TSM, Ho ENM.This paper describes the studies of the in vitro biotransformation of nandrolone decanoate and its metabolic fate in equine plasma and urine after intramuscular administration to castrated thoroughbred horses. The in vitro metabolic study was performed using homogenised horse liver, and the more prominent in vitro biotransformation pathways were found to include hydrolysis, reduction, oxidation and sulfation, mainly resulting in seven Phase I metabolites and one Phase II metabolite. The administration study of nandrolone decanoate was carried out using three retired thoroughbred geldings, e...
Wermer K, Korbacska-Kutasi O, Berkecz R, Csupor D, Ágh N, Sztojkov-Ivanov A, Cserhalmi D.Cannabidiol (CBD) has shown potential therapeutic benefits in veterinary medicine, but further investigations are needed to establish its pharmacokinetics and therapeutic dosing in horses and ponies. The present study aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetic properties of CBD in Connemara ponies following oral administration of CBD oil. Unassigned: Ten healthy ponies received a single oral dose of CBD oil at 2 mg/kg. Blood samples were collected before dosing and up to 16 days post-administration, with physical examinations conducted at baseline and at 8, 12, and 24 h post-dose. Addition...
Baptiste KE, Kyvsgaard NC, Ahmed MO, Damborg P, Dowling PM.Rifampin is an enigma among antimicrobials. Blood and tissue compartment concentrations are a "moving target" along the treatment course due to the complex pharmacodynamic interactions within the body. Rifampin concomitant therapies are for the prevention and treatment of Rhodococcus equi infection in foals, for nearly 40 years. The necessity of rifampin concomitant therapies is based on beliefs that both antimicrobials (e.g., rifampin plus macrolide) penetrate into pulmonary abscesses and intracellular compartments above R. equi minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), as well as better ef...
Viljanto M, Cutler C, Habershon-Butcher J, Hincks P, Scarth J.The use of testosterone in racehorses is predominantly monitored using international urine and plasma concentration-based thresholds and complementary steroid ratios. To date, there has been no published pharmacokinetic study on transdermally applied testosterone products in horses and whether their use could result in adverse analytical findings. Therefore, quantitative analysis of testosterone and epitestosterone in urine and testosterone in plasma samples was performed following a pilot multi-dose transdermal Testogel administration (1 mg/kg once a day for 7 days on clipped skin) to one...
Sayler B, Manship AJ, Davis J, Taylor J, Gilliam L.Chloramphenicol is a broad-spectrum antibiotic used in equine practice. It is known to produce adverse effects of hyporexia/anorexia after oral administration. Administration per rectum (PR) could mitigate the appetite suppression seen with oral administration and allow its use in horses unable to receive oral medications. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the relative bioavailability of chloramphenicol administered PR or via nasogastric tube (NGT) and determine relevant pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic parameters and metabolic ratios. Ten healthy, adult horses were administered chl...
El-Ghaly W, El Kamli T, Gongbe AMA, Zaari Lambarki L, El Hamdani M, Lahkak FE, Al Idrissi N, Benmoussa A, Balouch L, Bakkali F, Saffaj T, Jhilal F.The quantification of banned substances in equine antidoping control, especially in racehorse urine, necessitates robust analytical methods with high detection levels due to the extremely low concentrations of the target substances and the significant impact of minor variations on doping test results. Reliable quantification is important for substances near regulatory thresholds, which, if exceeded, are prohibited. This study presents the development and validation of a bioanalytical UHPLC-HRMS method for quantifying doping substances in equine urine, including diazepam and acepromazine with a...
Ho HSM, Mizzi JX, Ho ENM, Wong WT.Ranitidine is a histamine H-receptor antagonist commonly used to treat gastric ulceration in horses. The author's laboratory conducted a study some years ago in the early 2000s on its metabolism as well as its urinary elimination profile in two geldings. With the technology advancement as well as popularity of blood for doping control testing, the laboratory has recently conducted another administration trials of the substance in six horses to study the in vivo metabolism of ranitidine, aiming to identify and reinvestigate the appropriate target(s) for controlling misuse of ranitidine in hors...
Bardhi A, Barbarossa A, Joubert A, Gehring R, Lambertini C, Romagnoli N.Dried blood spot (DBS) sampling has emerged as a promising microsampling technique in biomedical and clinical research, offering advantages such as reduced invasiveness, minimal blood volume requirements, and enhanced analyte stability. Although well established in human medicine for neonatal screening and diagnostic applications, its potential in veterinary pharmacology remains underexplored. This study investigated the feasibility of using DBS samples to quantify anesthetic agents-ketamine and medetomidine in cats and lidocaine in horses-during routine surgical procedures at a veterinary tea...
Muir WW, Yiew XT, Bateman SW, Hahn RG.Fluid therapy in horses is primarily empirical. Evidence-based quantification of the disposition of intravenous (IV) crystalloids used in clinical practice could enhance the effectiveness of fluid therapy. Objective: To determine the pharmacokinetics (i.e., volume kinetics: VK) and associated haemodynamic effects of IV lactated Ringer's solution (LRS) in adult euvolemic horses. Methods: Unmasked multiple subjects, single baseline design. Methods: Thirteen healthy, euvolemic adult female horses were administered an IV bolus of LRS and monitored over 4 h. Haemoglobin, albumin and haematocrit c...
Granados MM, Medina-Bautista F, Navarrete-Calvo R, Argüelles D, Domínguez-Pérez JM, Priego-Capote F, Muñoz-Rascón P, Serrano-Rodríguez JM.To date, no intravenous pharmacokinetics (PK) studies have assessed acetaminophen or its major metabolites (acetaminophen-glucuronide and acetaminophen-sulphate) in horses. The influence of sex on acetaminophen metabolism in horses is unclear, and Monte Carlo simulations have not been applied to explore potential clinical applications. This study aimed to determine the intravenous PK and safety of acetaminophen in Andalusian horses at 10 and 20 mg/kg, evaluate sex as a covariate, and simulate clinical regimens. Twenty mares and twenty stallions received intravenous acetaminophen, and plasma ...
Quattrini C, Knych HK, Magdesian KG.Alprazolam is used to facilitate mare-foal bonding in aggressive or anxious postpartum mares. In humans, alprazolam crosses the blood-milk barrier, but the amount transferred into milk is minor and compatible with breastfeeding as the relative infant dose is < 10%. Similar data are not available for horses. The aim of this study was to measure alprazolam in serum and milk of mares (milk: serum ratio) administered alprazolam, and to determine alprazolam serum concentrations in nursing foals to estimate the extent of absorption. This was a prospective observational study involving 7 healthy...
Bacon EK, Donnelly CG, Finno CJ, Haase B, Velie BD.Multimodal analgesic administration is a promising strategy for mitigating side effects typically associated with analgesia; nevertheless, variation in analgesic effectiveness still poses a considerable safety concern for both horses and veterinarians. Pharmacogenomic studies have started delving into genetic influences on varying drug effectiveness and related side effects. However, current findings have narrow implications and are limited in their ability to individualize analgesic dosages in horses. Hydromorphone and detomidine were administered to a cohort of 48 horses at standardized time...
Bardhi A, Lanci A, Mannini A, Castagnetti C, Barbarossa A.Background: Although antibiotic resistance is a well-known issue in veterinary medicine, studies proposing real-time therapeutic monitoring (TDM) are lacking. The objective of the present study was to develop a simple and rapid protocol for the real-time therapeutic monitoring of antibiotics in horses and dogs. Methods: A reliable TDM protocol should encompass guidelines for the definition of plasma/serum collection time points, sample management by the clinical staff, transportation to the laboratory, and the availability of robust and swift analytical technologies. Ampicillin and sulbactam w...
Gao T, Liu X, Qiu D, Li Y, Qiu Z, Qi J, Li S, Guo X, Zhang Y, Wang Z, Gao X, Ma Y, Ma T.Cefquinome is used to treat septicemia caused by () and respiratory infections caused by subsp. in foals. However, studies reporting the use of cefquinome to target as pathogens of sepsis are lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the optimal dosage regimen for cefquinome against using a PK/PD model. After the administration of 1 mg/kg cefquinome (intramuscularly or intravenously), blood samples were collected at different time points to determine the serum concentration of cefquinome via HPLC. The pharmacokinetic parameters were evaluated via NCA (WinNonlin 5.2.1 software). Th...
Ho HSM, Farrington AF, Ho ENM, Wong WT.2-Hydroxyethyl salicylate (2HES), a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), is a medication to treat musculoskeletal injuries and inflammation swelling of humans and horses. Its misuse could affect the performance of horses and mask injuries, which could pose significant health risks. In horseracing, it is reported as an adverse finding once detected in competition. The metabolism of 2HES in either human or horse has not been reported, and therefore, little is known about its metabolic fate. This paper describes the in vivo metabolism of 2HES in horse with an objective to identify the mo...
Yu R, Jusko WJ.This study assesses the pharmacokinetics (PK) of published methylprednisolone (MPL) data in horses following intra-articular (IA) administration of MPL acetate (MPA) and the associated adrenal suppression. The concentrations of MPL/MPA in synovial fluid, blood, and urine, as well as hydrocortisone (HC) in plasma, were digitized from multiple sources in the literature. A minimal physiologically based pharmacokinetic model and a linked indirect response model with a circadian rhythm baseline were applied. Concentrations of MPA in joints followed a triexponential decay, converting to MPL. The cle...
Gutierrez SO, Kilcoyne I, Saldinger LK, Woodward L, Nieto JE.To determine if different methods of perfusate instillation influence synovial amikacin concentrations in the radiocarpal joint (RCJ) after IV regional limb perfusion (IVRLP). Unassigned: 6 healthy horses received an IVRLP using 2 different methods: (1) 2 g amikacin followed by 52 mL 0.9% NaCl (60 mL total; perfusate-A) and (2) 2 g amikacin diluted to 60 mL with 0.9% NaCl (perfusate-D). For both methods, the perfusion was administered over 5 minutes. Joint fluid from the RCJ was sampled at 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 minutes after instillation of the perfusate. Systemic concentrations of amikacin w...
Adler DMT, Nielsen AT, Olsen C, Verwilghen D, Damborg P, Olsen RH.To investigate the in vitro efficacy of antibiotics (amikacin, ceftiofur, and gentamicin) in combination with local anesthetics (LAs; bupivacaine hydrochloride, lidocaine hydrochloride, and mepivacaine hydrochloride), a combination commonly performed for IA injectate and regional limb perfusion (RLP) in horses. Unassigned: 17 equine clinical isolates were tested by the checkerboard method for their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against a combination of concentrations of LAs and antibiotics from August 2020 through December 2023. Unassigned: For the majority of combinations, the antibi...
Pain management in horses plays a pivotal role in the therapeutic approach to several diseases. Horses have cannabinoid receptors at the level of dorsal root ganglia, blood vessels, and synoviocytes that can be up or down- regulated by inflammatory conditions, justifying the possible efficacy of exogenous cannabinoids (i.e., phytocannabinoids) in managing several painful pathologies in this animal species. However, the current use of supplements containing cannabidiol (CBD) in equines is based on anecdotal evidence, without the support of sufficient pharmacokinetic studies. In humans, the conc...
Guzmán JFC, Gontijo AS, Melgaço ES, Faria SA, Baldi MLC, Sousa LN, Wenceslau RR, Fantini P, Xavier ABDS, Beier SL.Morphine has significant clinical and analgesic effects in horses, but its impact on the gastrointestinal tract requires further understanding. This study assessed the analgesic and gastrointestinal effects of morphine in horses undergoing elective orchiectomy in the quadrupedal position. Thirty uncastrated male horses were randomly assigned to three groups: orchiectomy without morphine and sedation protocol (OSM), orchiectomy with morphine and sedation protocol (OM), and administration of morphine alone in the absence of orchiectomy (M). The anesthetic protocol involved acepromazine (0.05 mg/...
Harding C, Viljanto M, Hincks P, Habershon-Butcher J, Paine SW.Omeprazole is a gastric acid secretion inhibitor used as an effective anti-ulcer drug. Based on oral administration studies, its International Screening Limit (ISL) was established in plasma and urine at 1 ng/mL with a Detection Time (DT) of 48 h. A novel formulation of injectable omeprazole has since been released, and therefore, a pharmacokinetic study was performed to assess the DT above the ISL against current advice. Six Thoroughbred horses were given four repeated weekly intramuscular administrations of omeprazole (4 mg/kg). Plasma and urine omeprazole concentrations were measured ...
Dedecker L, Ceriotti S, Mora-Pereira M, Knych HK, Zuber E, Lascola KM.To describe and compare the pulmonary and plasma pharmacokinetics of different oral formulations of chloramphenicol administered as a single dose to healthy adult horses. Unassigned: A single dose of chloramphenicol was administered to 6 healthy, university-owned fasted adult horses IV (25 mg/kg), orally as commercial tablets (50 mg/kg), or orally or intragastrically as compounded suspension (50 mg/kg), according to a randomized crossover protocol. Plasma was collected 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 minutes and 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 hours after drug administration. Bronchoalveolar lavage (B...
Science (New York, N.Y.)August 26, 1983
Volume 221, Issue 4613 823-828 doi: 10.1126/science.6308762
Campbell WC, Fisher MH, Stapley EO, Albers-Schönberg G, Jacob TA.Ivermectin is the 22,23-dihydro derivative of avermectin B1, a macrocyclic lactone produced by an actinomycete, Streptomyces avermitilis. It is active at extremely low dosage against a wide variety of nematode and arthropod parasites, apparently by virtue of its action on the mediation of neurotransmission by gamma-aminobutyric acid. It is now in commercial use in various countries for the treatment and control of parasites in cattle, horses, and sheep, and is expected to become available for use in swine and dogs. Since studies with the drug in man are in a preliminary stage, it is not yet kn...
Schmoldt A, Benthe HF, Haberland G, Jallon JM, Risler Y, Iwatsubo M, Karuzina II, Bachmanova GI, Kuznetsova GP, Izotov MV, Archakov AI, Kröger H....It has been found that NADPH-dependent hydroxylation of dimethylaniline, aniline, p- and o-nitroanisol and lipid peroxidation is inhibited by the tyrosine-copper (II) complex (low molecular weight analog of superoxide dismutase), which is indicative of a possibility of superoxide radicals formation in these reactions. The inhibition of the above-mentioned reactions with Tyr2-Cu2+ is less pronounced or absent, if cumole hydroperoxide is used as cosubstrate instead of NADPH. Differences in the Tyr2-Cu2+ complex effects on the cumule hydroperoxide-dependent xenobiotics hydroxylation and lipid per...
Afable MG, Shaik M, Sugimoto Y, Elson P, Clemente M, Makishima H, Sekeres MA, Lichtin A, Advani A, Kalaycio M, Tiu RV, O'Keefe CL, Maciejewski JP.A combination of horse anti-thymocyte globulin and cyclosporine produces responses in 60-70% of patients with severe aplastic anemia. We performed a phase II study of rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin and cyclosporine as first-line therapy for severe aplastic anemia. Methods: Twenty patients with severe aplastic anemia treated with rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin were compared to 67 historical control cases with matched clinical characteristics treated with horse anti-thymocyte globulin. Results: Response rates at 3, 6 and 12 months were similar for patients treated with rabbit anti-thymocyte glob...
Harder A, Schmitt-Wrede HP, Krücken J, Marinovski P, Wunderlich F, Willson J, Amliwala K, Holden-Dye L, Walker R.There are three major classes of anthelmintics for veterinary use: the benzimidazoles/prebenzimidazoles, the tetrahydropyrimidines/imidazothiazoles, and the macrocyclic lactones. In nematodes, there are five targets for the existing anthelmintics: the nicotinergic acetylcholine receptor which is the target of tetrahydropyrimidines/imidazothiazoles and indirectly that of the acetylcholineesterase inhibitors; the GABA receptor which is the target of piperazine, the glutamate-gated chloride channel as the target of the macrocyclic lactones, and beta-tubulin as the target of prebenzimidazoles/benz...
DrugCentral monitors new drug approvals and standardizes drug information. The current update contains 285 drugs (131 for human use). New additions include: (i) the integration of veterinary drugs (154 for animal use only), (ii) the addition of 66 documented off-label uses and iii) the identification of adverse drug events from pharmacovigilance data for pediatric and geriatric patients. Additional enhancements include chemical substructure searching using SMILES and 'Target Cards' based on UniProt accession codes. Statistics of interests include the following: (i) 60% of the covered drugs are...
Traversa D, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Demeler J, Milillo P, Schürmann S, Barnes H, Otranto D, Perrucci S, di Regalbono AF, Beraldo P, Boeckh A....A large survey was carried out in 2008 in Europe to evaluate the efficacy of fenbendazole (FBZ), pyrantel (PYR), ivermectin (IVM) and moxidectin (MOX), i.e. the major anthelmintic molecules used in current practice against cyathostomins affecting horses. A total of 102 yards and 1704 horses was studied in three countries: 60 yards and 988 horses from Italy, 22 and 396 from the UK, 20 and 320 from Germany. The survey consisted of Faecal Egg Count Reduction Tests (FECRTs) with a faecal egg count reduction (FECR) categorization of (I) resistance present if FECR <90% and the lower 95% confidenc...
Guedes AG, Morisseau C, Sole A, Soares JH, Ulu A, Dong H, Hammock BD.A 4-year old, 500 kg Thoroughbred female horse diagnosed with bilateral forelimb laminitis and cellulitis on the left forelimb became severely painful and refractory to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory therapy (flunixin meglumine on days 1, 2, 3 and 4; and phenylbutazone on days 5, 6 and 7) alone or in combination with gabapentin (days 6 and 7). Methods: Pain scores assessed independently by three individuals with a visual analog scale (VAS; 0 = no pain and 10 = worst possible pain) were 8.5 on day 6, and it increased to 9.5 on day 7. Non-invasive blood pressure monitoring revealed severe hyper...
Iyer U, Kadambi VJ.Antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) consist of an antibody attached to a cytotoxic drug by means of a linker. ADCs provide a way to couple the specificity of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) to the cytotoxicity of a small-molecule drug and, therefore, are promising new therapies for cancer. ADCs are prodrugs that are inactive in circulation but exert their cytotoxicity upon binding to the target cancer cell. Earlier unsuccessful attempts to generate ADCs with therapeutic value have emphasized the important role each component plays in determining the efficacy and safety of the final ADC. Scientific adv...
Hatheway CH, Snyder JD, Seals JE, Edell TA, Lewis GE.Serum levels of equine-botulism antitoxin to toxin types A, B, and E were measured in four type-A botulism patients who had received equine-botulism antitoxin. High circulating levels capable of neutralizing in excess of 1 X 10(8), 9 X 10(7), and 6 X 10(6) 50% mouse lethal doses of toxin of types A, B, and E, respectively, were detected. There was little depletion of type-A antitoxin even though two of the patients had circulating type-A toxin before treatment. The half-life for antitoxin persistence for one patient was calculated as being 6.5, 7.6, and 5.3 days for antitoxin types A, B, and E...
England GC, Clarke KW.In recent years the usefulness of the alpha 2 adrenoceptor agonist drugs has been recognized in equine practice. Several agents have become available and are now licensed for use in a number of countries. The principle actions of all alpha 2 adrenoceptor agonists are similar, in that they produce a reduction in heart rate and alteration of heart rhythm, an initial hypertension followed by a prolonged hypotension, a decrease in the cardiac output and respiratory depression. For clinical purposes, these agents produce sedation and analgesia, they are useful for premedication and markedly potenti...
Toutain PL, Cester CC.To determine pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) relationships and dose effects for meloxicam in horses and to propose a suitable dosage for use in clinical studies. Methods: 6 adult horses. Methods: The study was conducted by use of a randomized, Latin-square design. Arthritis was induced in the right carpal joint of each horse by administration of Freund's complete adjuvant. Various dosages of meloxicam (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg/kg, IV) were then administered. Validated endpoints including stride length and overall clinical lameness score (scale of 0 to 20) were used to assess the e...
Rizk MA, El-Sayed SA, Terkawi MA, Youssef MA, El Said el Sel S, Elsayed G, El-Khodery S, El-Ashker M, Elsify A, Omar M, Salama A, Yokoyama N....A rapid and accurate assay for evaluating antibabesial drugs on a large scale is required for the discovery of novel chemotherapeutic agents against Babesia parasites. In the current study, we evaluated the usefulness of a fluorescence-based assay for determining the efficacies of antibabesial compounds against bovine and equine hemoparasites in in vitro cultures. Three different hematocrits (HCTs; 2.5%, 5%, and 10%) were used without daily replacement of the medium. The results of a high-throughput screening assay revealed that the best HCT was 2.5% for bovine Babesia parasites and 5% for equ...
Block JA, Oegema TR, Sandy JD, Plaas A.Oral glucosamine (GlcN) has been widely studied for its potential therapeutic benefits in alleviating the pain and disability of osteoarthritis (OA). Its popularity has grown despite ongoing controversy regarding its effectiveness vs placebo in clinical trials, and lack of information regarding possible mechanisms of action. Here, we review the state of knowledge concerning the biology of GlcN as it relates to OA, and discuss a framework for future research directions. Methods: An editorial "narrative" review of peer-reviewed publications is organized into four topics (1) Chemistry and pharmac...
Stellingwerff T, Decombaz J, Harris RC, Boesch C.Interest into the effects of carnosine on cellular metabolism is rapidly expanding. The first study to demonstrate in humans that chronic β-alanine (BA) supplementation (~3-6 g BA/day for ~4 weeks) can result in significantly augmented muscle carnosine concentrations (>50%) was only recently published. BA supplementation is potentially poised for application beyond the niche exercise and performance-enhancement field and into other more clinical populations. When examining all BA supplementation studies that directly measure muscle carnosine (n=8), there is a significant linear correlation...
Laverty S, Sandy JD, Celeste C, Vachon P, Marier JF, Plaas AH.To examine the concentration of glucosamine in the synovial fluid and its pharmacokinetics in serum in a large animal model following dosing with glucosamine HCl at clinically relevant levels. Methods: Eight adult female horses were studied. After an overnight fast, glucosamine HCl (20 mg/kg of body weight) was administered by either nasogastric (NG) intubation or intravenous (IV) injection. Blood samples were collected before dosing and at 5, 15, 30, 60, 120, 180, 240, 360, 480, and 720 minutes after dosing. Synovial fluid samples were collected from the radiocarpal joints 48 hours before dos...
Stock ML, Elazab ST, Hsu WH.Triazines are relatively new antiprotozoal drugs that have successfully controlled coccidiosis and equine protozoal myeloencephalitis. These drugs have favorably treated other protozoal diseases such as neosporosis and toxoplasmosis. In this article, we discuss the pharmacological characteristics of five triazines, toltrazuril, ponazuril, clazuril, diclazuril, and nitromezuril which are used in veterinary medicine to control protozoal diseases which include coccidiosis, equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, neosporosis, and toxoplasmosis.
Watson Levings RS, Broome TA, Smith AD, Rice BL, Gibbs EP, Myara DA, Hyddmark EV, Nasri E, Zarezadeh A, Levings PP, Lu Y, White ME, Dacanay EA....Toward the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA), the authors have been investigating self-complementary adeno-associated virus (scAAV) for intra-articular delivery of therapeutic gene products. As OA frequently affects weight-bearing joints, pharmacokinetic studies of scAAV gene delivery were performed in the joints of the equine forelimb to identify parameters relevant to clinical translation in humans. Using interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) as a secreted therapeutic reporter, scAAV vector plasmids containing codon-optimized cDNA for equine IL-1Ra (eqIL-1Ra) were generated, which produc...
Pérez DS, Tapia MO, Soraci AL.Fosfomycin (FOS) is a natural bactericidal broad-spectrum antibiotic which acts on proliferating bacteria by inhibiting cell wall and early murein/peptidoglycan synthesis. Bactericidal activity is evident against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria and can also act synergistically with other antibiotics. Bacterial resistance to FOS may be natural or acquired. Other properties of this drug include inhibition of bacterial adhesion to epithelial cells, exopolysaccharide biofilm penetration, immunomodulatory effect, phagocytosis promotion and protection against the nephrotoxicity caused by ot...
Sykes BW, Sykes KM, Hallowell GD.A previous study demonstrated that a dose effect between 1.6 and 4.0 mg/kg bwt of omeprazole per os s.i.d. is present in the treatment of equine gastric ulceration. In the same study, healing of glandular ulceration appeared inferior to healing of squamous ulceration. However, several limitations were recognised in that study and further investigation is warranted. Objective: To further investigate the presence of a dose relationship in the treatment of gastric ulceration under conditions that may favour omeprazole efficacy such as administration prior to exercise and after a brief fast, and...
Saxena A, Ashani Y, Raveh L, Stevenson D, Patel T, Doctor BP.To understand the role of glycosylation in the circulation of cholinesterases, we compared the mean residence time of five tissue-derived and two recombinant cholinesterases (injected intravenously in mice) with their oligosaccharide profiles. Monosaccharide composition analysis revealed differences in the total carbohydrate, galactose, and sialic acid contents. The molar ratio of sialic acid to galactose residues on tetrameric human serum butyrylcholinesterase, recombinant human butyrylcholinesterase, and recombinant mouse acetylcholinesterase was found to be approximately 1.0. For Torpedo ca...
Boscan P, Van Hoogmoed LM, Farver TB, Snyder JR.To evaluate the effects of morphine administration for 6 days on gastrointestinal tract function in healthy adult horses. Methods: 5 horses. Methods: Horses were randomly allocated into 2 groups in a crossover study. Horses in the treatment group received morphine sulfate at a dosage of 0.5 mg/kg, IV, every 12 hours for 6 days. Horses in the control group received saline (0.9% NaCl) solution at a dosage of 10 mL, IV, every 12 hours for 6 days. Variables assessed included defecation frequency, weight of feces produced, intestinal transit time (evaluated by use of barium-filled spheres and radio...
Cokelaere SM, Plomp SGM, de Boef E, de Leeuw M, Bool S, van de Lest CHA, van Weeren PR, Korthagen NM.Synovial inflammation is an important characteristic of arthritic disorders like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Orally administered non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as celecoxib are among the most widely prescribed drugs to manage these debilitating diseases. Intra-articular delivery in biodegradable in situ forming hydrogels overcomes adverse systemic effects and prolongs drug retention in the joint. In this study two formulations of celecoxib (40 mg/g and 120 mg/g) in a propyl-capped PCLA-PEG-PCLA triblock copolymer were sequentially evaluated in a multiple L...
Ryan D, McKemie DS, Kass PH, Puschner B, Knych HK.The increasing availability of cannabidiol (CBD) and anecdotal reports of its anti-inflammatory effects has garnered it much interest in the equine industry. The objectives of the current study were to (1) describe the pharmacokinetics of oral CBD in exercising thoroughbreds, (2) characterize select behavioral and physiologic effects, and (3) evaluate effects on biomarkers of inflammation using an ex vivo model. This study was conducted in a randomized balanced 3-way crossover design with a two-week washout period between doses. Horses received a single oral dose (0.5, 1, and 2 mg/kg) of CBD...
Kleinheinz J, Jung S, Wermker K, Fischer C, Joos U.Current approaches in bone regeneration combine osteoconductive scaffolds with bioactive cytokines like BMP or VEGF. The idea of our in-vitro trial was to apply VEGF165 in gradient concentrations to an equine collagen carrier and to study pharmacological and morphological characteristics of the complex in a circulation model. Methods: Release kinetics of VEGF165 complexed in different quantities in a collagen matrix were determined in a circulation model by quantifying protein concentration with ELISA over a period of 5 days. The structural changes of the collagen matrix were assessed with lig...
Meulyzer M, Vachon P, Beaudry F, Vinardell T, Richard H, Beauchamp G, Laverty S.To compare the pharmacokinetics of glucosamine and the synovial fluid levels attained following treatment with glucosamine sulphate or glucosamine hydrochloride in a large animal model at clinically relevant doses. Methods: Eight adult female horses were used. Crystalline glucosamine sulphate (Dona) or glucosamine hydrochloride was administered at a dose of 20 mg/kg by either intravenous (i.v.) injection or nasogastric (n.g.) intubation. Plasma samples were collected before dosing and at 5, 15, 30, 60, 120, 360, 480 and 720 min after dosing. Synovial fluid samples were collected from the radio...
Collins P.In vitro sensitivity data suggest that acyclovir should be effective against clinical manifestations of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, varicella-zoster virus and possibly Epstein-Barr virus. The clinical potential against herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 is further supported by results in animal models. Human cytomegalovirus and the veterinary herpes viruses, with the possible exception of equine herpes virus type 1, may be insufficiently sensitive to be amenable to treatment.
Garcia-Villar R, Toutain PL, Alvinerie M, Ruckebusch Y.The pharmacokinetic disposition of xylazine hydrochloride is described after both intravenous and intramuscular injection of a single dose, in four domestic species: horse, cattle, sheep and dog, by an original high performance liquid chromatographic technique. Remarkably small interspecific differences are reported. After intravenous administration, systemic half-life (t1/2 beta) ranged between 22 min (sheep) and 50 min (horse) while the distribution phase is transient with half-life (t1/2 alpha) ranging from 1.2 min (cattle) to 5.9 min (horse). The peak level of drug concentration in the pla...
