Pharmacology in horses involves the study and application of drugs and medications to diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases and conditions in equine species. This field encompasses the understanding of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics specific to horses, including how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted by the equine body. Commonly studied pharmacological agents in horses include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antibiotics, sedatives, and anthelmintics. Research in equine pharmacology focuses on determining appropriate dosages, understanding drug interactions, and minimizing adverse effects. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that investigate the efficacy, safety, and regulatory aspects of pharmacological interventions in equine veterinary practice.
Johnson KG, Tyrrell J, Rowe JB, Pethick DW.Abnormal behaviour commonly develops in intensively managed horses. A possible cause is the change in diet occurring when the horse is stabled. An experiment was performed to examine this possibility by manipulating the diet with the feed supplement virginiamycin, as Founderguard. During 4 weeks, 18 horses were fed diets ranging from hay alone to concentrate plus hay in the ratio of 3:1. The rations of half the horses given concentrate were supplemented with Founderguard. Horses eating high concentrate rations displayed abnormal oral behaviours at a higher frequency than those eating only hay....
Moens Y, Lagerweij E, Gootjes P, Poortman J.To study effects of intermittent positive-pressure ventilation (IPPV) with large tidal volumes and addition of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) on maldistribution of ventilation in anesthetized horses positioned in lateral recumbency. Methods: 6 healthy adult horses. Methods: Anesthesia was induced by i.v. infusion of thiopental sodium and guiafenesin and was maintained with supplemental doses of thiopental and i.v. infusion of chloral hydrate. Functional separation of the lungs was achieved, using a tube-in-tube intubation technique. Intermittent positive-pressure ventilation of both l...
Lester GD, Merritt AM, Neuwirth L, Vetro-Widenhouse T, Steible C, Rice B.To determine effect of xylazine hydrochloride (XYL), yohimbine hydrochloride (YOH), bethanechol chloride (BET), neostigmine methyl sulfate (NEO), or flunixin meglumine (FLU) on ileocecocolic myoelectric activity and passage of radiolabeled markers from the cecum. Methods: 6 healthy adult ponies. Methods: A cecal cannula was surgically implanted, and 12 were sutured to the ileum, cecum, and right ventral colon. After a 12-hour nonfeeding period, 370 MBq of technetium 99m-labeled sulfur colloid in egg albumen and 37 MBq of indium 111-labeled diethyltriaminepentaacetic acid in 60 ml of water were...
Lester GD, Merritt AM, Neuwirth L, Vetro-Widenhouse T, Steible C, Rice B.To determine the effect of erythromycin lactobionate (ERY) on ileocecocolic myoelectric activity and passage of radiolabeled markers from the cecum. Methods: 6 healthy adult ponies. Methods: After a 12-hour nonfeeding period, 370 MBq of technetium 99m-labeled sulfur colloid in egg albumen and 37 MBq of indium 111-labeled diethyltriaminepentaacetic acid in 60 ml of water were administered directly into the cecal apex. The following drug concentrations were tested: ERY, 0.01, 0.10, 1.0, and 10.0 mg/kg of body weight; ERY, 0.10 mg/kg bolus; and saline (0.9% NaCl) solution, 10 ml. All treatments, ...
Andraus MH, Siqueira ME.An analytical procedure to screen butorphanol in horse race urine using ELISA kits and its confirmation by GC-MS is described. Urine samples (5 ml) were subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis and extracted by solid-phase extraction. The residues were then evaporated, derivatized and injected into the GC-MS system. The ELISA test (20 microl of sample) was able to detect butorphanol up to 104 h after the intramuscular administration of 8 mg of Torbugesic, and the GC-MS method detected the drug up to 24 h in FULL SCAN or 31 h in the SIM mode. Validation of the GC-MS method in the SIM mode using nalbup...
Rakhit S, Murdoch R, Wilson SM.Adrenaline, forskolin and ATP all evoked accumulation of cyclic AMP in equine sweat gland epithelial cells, although the response to adrenaline was more transient than that to forskolin and ATP. Cells preincubated in adrenaline (10 micromol l-1, 32 min) showed essentially complete, homologous desensitisation, and this phenomenon reversed slowly (half-time 6.3+/-0.9 h). After 10 min of recovery from preincubation in adrenaline, isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX, 5 mmol l-1) had no effect upon the desensitisation and the cells showed no loss of sensitivity to ATP and forskolin. After 10 h, however, t...
Moslemi S, Seralini GE.In order to approach the detailed structure-function relationships of aromatase, we studied the inhibitory and inactivatory potencies of several steroidal androstenedione analogues (1: 4-hydroxyandrostenedione, 2: 4-acetoxyandrostenedione and 3: 7 alpha-(4'-amino)phenylthio-4-androstene-3, 17-dione) and non-steroidal imidazole derivatives (4: ketoconazole, 5: miconazole and 6: fadrozole) on equine aromatase in placental microsomes, a well established mammalian model. Human placental microsomes and the purified enzyme from equine testis were also used to compare inhibition by 1 and 2. In equine...
Goodrich LR, Furr MO, Robertson JL, Warnick LD.A double-blind study was performed, in horses, to determine the potential toxic effects of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, eltenac(4-[(2,6-dichlorophenyl) amino]-3-thiopheneacetic acid). Four treatment groups of six horses were formed. The drug was injected intravenously, once daily, at a dose level of 0.5 mg/kg, 1.5 mg/kg or 2.5 mg/kg for 15 days. A control group was injected with sterile saline solution. Horses were monitored for changes in appetite, physical examinations, biochemical evaluations and gastroscopic examinations. Complete post-mortem examinations were also performed. A...
Dorchies P, de Lahitte JD, Flochlay A, Blond-Riou F.The efficacy of moxidectin 2% oral gel (Equest, Fort-Dodge) against European worm strains was studied through post-mortem worm counts and feacal egg counts (FECs) in 12 young ponies naturally infected. The animals were allocated in two groups of six ponies each: the first one was treated at 0.4 mg/kg b.w. and the second one received a placebo and served as control. All the ponies were necropsied 14 days post-treatment. The efficacy of moxidectin in reducing strongyle FECs ranged from 99.8% to 100% from 3 to 14 days after treatment. Moxidectin efficacy was 100% against Trichostrongylus axei and...
Boersema JH, Eysker M, van der Aar WM.The reappearance of strongyle eggs in the faeces of horses treated with moxidectin (0.4 mg/kg of body weight) was compared with that in the faeces of horses treated with ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg of body weight). The study was performed from December 1995 till June 1996. Horses were infected naturally in the preceding grazing period. Two groups of 24 horses each were treated with moxidectin and ivermectin respectively at week 0. No side effects were seen after treatment. Horses were housed from week -1 till week 17. From week 17 onwards the horses were on pasture. Faecal samples were taken from ea...
Ramirez S, Wolfsheimer KJ, Moore RM, Mora F, Bueno AC, Mirza T.The objectives of this study were to determine if phenylbutazone decreased serum thyroxine (TT4) and free thyroxine (FT4) concentrations using radioimmunoassay and equilibrium dialysis techniques in horses, and, if so, an additional objective was to determine the duration of this decreased concentration once phenylbutazone administration was discontinued. Serum TT4 and FT4 concentrations were determined before and after administration of 4.4 mg/kg of phenylbutazone i.v. bid for 5 days. Treatment with phenylbutazone caused a significant decrease in TT4 and FT4 concentrations (P < .05). Serum...
Zhang XY, Zhu FX, Olszewski MA, Robinson NE.The beta 2-agonists currently used as bronchodilators are racemic mixtures of R- and S-enantiomers. In the present study, we examined the effects of enantiomers of the beta 2-agonists albuterol and formoterol on acetylcholine (ACh) release from equine trachealis parasympathetic nerves. ACh release was evoked by electrical field stimulation (20 V, 0.5 ms, 0.5 Hz) and measured by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrochemical detection. We also tested the effects of enantiomers of albuterol and formoterol on equine tracheal smooth muscle (TSM) contraction in response to exog...
Holland PS, Brumbaugh GW, Ruoff WW, Brown SA.Plasma pharmacokinetics of ranitidine HCl were investigated after intravenous (i.v.) and oral (p.o.) administration of drug to six healthy foals. Twelve- to sixteen-week-old foals received 2.2 mg ranitidine/kg i.v. and 4.4 mg ranitidine/kg p.o. Concentrations of ranitidine were determined using normal phase high performance liquid chromatography. Plasma concentrations of ranitidine HCl declined from a mean of 3266 ng/mL at 5 min to 11 ng/mL at 720 min after administration. The profile of the plot of concentrations of ranitidine HCl vs. time was best described by a two-exponent equation for two...
Moore RM, Muir WW, Bertone AL, Oliver JL.To determine the effect of platelet-activating factor (PAF) antagonist L-691,880 on low-flow ischemia and reperfusion (I-R) of the large colon in horses. Methods: 12 adult horses. Methods: Horses were anesthetized, and the large colon was exteriorized through a ventral median celiotomy and instrumented. Colonic arterial blood flow was reduced to 20% of baseline (BL) and maintained for 3 hours; flow was then restored, and the colon was reperfused for 3 hours. One of two solutions was administered intravenously 30 minutes before reperfusion: group 1, 10 mL/kg 0.9% NaCl; and group 2, 5 mg/kg PAF ...
Paterson S.Three horses with superficial ulcerative squamous cell carcinoma were successfully treated with topical 5-fluorouracil. Two of them remain in remission after a single course of treatment and the third case is controlled by the application of the cream for seven days every six weeks. No systemic side-effects were observed but there was a localised inflammatory reaction in the skin in each case.
Murray A, Pearson GT, Cottrell DF.Small intestine was taken from the caudal flexure of the duodenum and the terminal ileum proximal to the ileocaecal fold of 25 horses, 9 with acute grass sickness (AGS), 12 with subacute grass sickness (SAGS) and 12 with chronic grass sickness (CGS). The motility in the samples was measured isometrically either within 1 h of death or after storage for 24 h at 4 degree C. In control tissue, noradrenaline produced contractions of muscle strips which did not involve a muscarinic cholinergic mechanism and which were unaffected by the alpha 1 antagonist prazosin but were blocked by the alpha 2 anta...
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...
Inoue OJ, Freeman DE, Wallig M.To study effects of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) on equine colonic mucosa in vitro, and determine whether addition of ascorbic acid protects against the effects. Methods: 6 healthy horses and ponies. Methods: Short-circuit current was measured in mucosa mounted in Ussing chambers. Incubation conditions were: control (no additions); 5 mM HOCl; 1 mM HOCl; same and 5 mM ascorbic acid; 3 mM HOCl; 3 mM HOCl and 5 mM ascorbic acid; 7 mM HOCl; and 7 mM HOCl plus 5 mM ascorbic acid. Permeability was measured with [3H]mannitol and, at the conclusion of each experiment, tissues were examined microscopically...
Grosenbaugh DA, Muir WW.To determine and compare cardiorespiratory and recovery effects of sevoflurane, isoflurane, and halothane in horses. Methods: 8 clinically normal horses (4 mares, 4 geldings), 5 to 12 years old. Methods: Inhalation anesthesia was maintained for 90 minutes with sevoflurane, isoflurane, or halothane. Anesthesia depth was maintained at 1.5 minimum alveolar concentration of halothane, isoflurane, and sevoflurane, then was reduced at 30 and 60 minutes. A surgical plane of anesthesia was reinduced by administration of ketamine or thiopental or by increasing the fractional inspired concentration of s...
Duvivier DH, Chiap P, Crommen J, Lekeux P.The aim of this study was to determine the effect of breathing pattern, air humidity and position of the device on the delivery of an aerosol generated by a dry powder inhalation (DPI) device (Inhalator M). The in vitro inhalation study was performed using the cascade impaction method (Andersen Sampler) adapted to imitate nasal breathing. The amount of ipratropium found in the device, the artificial upper airways and the six stages of the Andersen Sampler was measured using high precision liquid chromatography. Stage 1 of the Andersen Sampler was considered to be the respirable fraction and st...
Uehara N, Momose A.The doping test method used in a horse race requires the accurate detection of a wide variety of drugs and metabolites as well as the rapidity in order to examine a large number of samples within a limited time. For this purpose, the routine method consists of a preliminary screening and a confirmatory test. In this paper, a historical review for the development of the doping test method in Japan is described. The metabolism and pharmacology of drugs in horses are also discussed.
Duvivier DH, Votion D, Vandenput S, Lekeux P.Inhalation therapy plays an increasing role in the management of equine respiratory disorders. This alternative to systematic treatment permits a high concentration of medication to act locally while minimizing side effects and residues. In human medicine, literature in this field is prolific and continuously renewed, whereas in veterinary medicine, applications of aerosol therapy are less extensive. This review considers the principles of action of the different types of devices used for inhalation, i.e., nebulization, metered-dose inhalation and dry powder inhalation, describes the technical...
Gerdemann R, Deegen E, Kietzmann M, Venner M.In the present study the significance of eicosanoids in the development of shock in horses on the basis of ileus has been investigated using the prostanoids thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and prostaglandine E2 (PGE2) as indicators. The prostanoid synthesis inhibitor flunixin meglumine was to be examined regarding its efficacy in the effective blockade of the synthesis of these mediators within the peri-operative timeframe as well as its effects on clinical signs and laboratory parameters. 21 horses suffering from ileus and ready for surgical intervention received an intravenous flunixin dosis of 1.1 mg...
Zhu FX, Zhang XY, Olszewski MA, Robinson NE.The effects of capsaicin and neuropeptides were examined in equine tracheal smooth muscle (TSM). Neither capsaicin nor substance P (SP) contracted TSM. Capsaicin (100 microM) elicited relaxation in TSM contracted with methacholine. This relaxation was not mimicked by SP or calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Relaxation was not attenuated by removal of the epithelium or by pretreatment of tissue with meclofenamate or the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine. Previous exposure of TSM to capsaicin did not eliminate the relaxation responses to subsequent capsaicin. Although...
Duvivier DH, Votion D, Vandenput S, Art T, Lekeux P.Development of dry powder inhalation (DPI) for horses requires the use of an adapted face mask. In experiment I, 4 masks (A, B, C and D) were tested and factors influencing the delivery of the dry powder were determined. Mask A was one which is commercially available for metered-dose inhalation. Mask B had the same shape as Mask A but an airtight rubber seal was added for the connection between the mask and horse's head. Mask C was a prototype adapted for DPI with connection for the DPI device between the nostrils, airtight expiratory valves in front of each nostril and airtight rubber seal to...
Murray MJ, Haven ML, Eichorn ES, Zhang D, Eagleson J, Hickey GJ.Seventeen Thoroughbred horses with moderate to severe gastric ulceration were purchased from a race track within 10 days of racing and were treated once daily with either omeprazole (9 horses) or vehicle (8 horses) and evaluated gastroscopically for ulcer healing. Horses were administered omeprazole (1.5 mg/kg bwt/day) or vehicle by nasogastric tube once daily. Gastroscopic examination was performed on Days 0, 4, 7, 11, 14, 17, 21, 24 and 28, until lesions healed completely. Selected images of gastric lesions were captured by computer at each endoscopic examination, with a measuring caliper in...
Malone E, Graham L.Choice of an analgesic for gastrointestinal pain requires consideration of the cause of the pain, desired duration of pain relief, need for sedation, and potential side effects and toxicity, particularly in light of other drugs being used and effects on the gastrointestinal tract. It is imperative that close monitoring be continued to ensure that surgical lesions or worsening conditions are detected. Recent research in the field may lead to new drugs, drug combinations, and avenues of treatment that minimize the side effects of these drugs while maximizing their efficacy.
Weiss DJ, Evanson OA, Wells RE.To determine whether synthetic peptides containing the arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) sequence inhibit equine platelet function. Methods: For in vitro studies of blood, 3 healthy Thoroughbreds; for in vivo and ex vivo studies of administration of RGD-containing peptides, 4 young adult pony mares. Methods: Blood was incubated with and without addition of aspirin or RGD-containing peptides (RGDS, RPR 110885) and platelet aggregation responses and platelet adhesion to subendothelial collagen were determined. RPR 110885 was administered IV, and platelet function was evaluated. Platelet aggregati...
DiPietro JA, Todd KS, Lock TF, McPherron TA.The anthelmintic activity of ivermectin was evaluated in 18 female horses with naturally acquired parasitic infections. Horses were treated once (IM) with vehicle only (n = 6), 200 microgram/kg of body weight (n = 6), and 300 microgram/kg (n = 6). Efficacy of both dosages of ivermectin was greater than 99% against Gasterophilus spp, 100% against Trichostrongylus axei, Habronema muscae, H majus, and Draschia megastoma, 98% to 99% against adult cyathostomes, 86% to 97% against 4th-stage cyathostomes, and 100% against adult large strongyles. Although ivermectin was incomplete in its activity agai...
Maxson AD, Soma LR, May LL, Martini JA.Effects of furosemide, exercise, and atropine on tracheal mucus transport rate (TMTR) in horses were investigated. Atropine (0.02 mg/kg of body weight) administered IV or by aerosolization significantly (P < 0.05) decreased TMTR at 60, but not at 30 minutes after its administration in standing horses. Furosemide (1.10 mg/kg, IV) did not have any significant effect on TMTR when measured at 2 or 4 hours after its administration in standing horses. Exercise alone or furosemide (1.10 mg/kg, IV) administration followed 4 hours later by exercise did not alter TMTR, compared with values for standi...
Orsini JA, Spencer PA.A dose-response study was undertaken of the effects of a newly developed histamine type 2 receptor antagonist, BMY-26539-01, on gastric acid secretion in 4 fasted horses. Doses of 0.1 mg/kg, 0.3 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg, or placebo were administered in a randomly assigned treatment sequence. Hydrogen ion concentration and pH were variable during baseline measurements in all 4 animals; however, following BMY-26539-01 administration, mean pH increased and hydrogen ion concentration decreased in a dose-related pattern. At the 0.3 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg dose levels, pH remained elevated for > 4 h and >...
Drudge JH, Lyons ET, Tolliver SC.Critical tests were completed on six horses to evaluate the antiparasitic activity of a paste formulation mixture of morantel citrate and trichlorfon, administered intraorally at the dose rate of 6 mg morantel base kg-1 and trichlorfon at 30 mg kg-1. Aggregate average removals were: 78% for two horses infected with 2nd instar Gasterophilus intestinalis; 100% for one infected with 2nd instar G. nasalis; 96% for six infected with 3rd instar G. intestinalis; 100% for four infected with 3rd instar G. nasalis; 100% for five infected with Parascaris equorum; 100% for one infected with mature Oxyuris...
Manohar M, Goetz TE.It has been reported that pulmonary injury (i.e. capillary stress failure) evoked histamine release from airway inflammatory/mast cells contributes to exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia (EIAH) and that pre-exercise inhalation of nedocromil sodium mitigated EIAH in human subjects 'Med. Sci. Sports Exercise 29, (1997) 10-16'. Because exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage due to capillary stress failure is routinely observed in racehorses, we examined whether nedocromil inhalation would similarly benefit EIAH and desaturation of hemoglobin in horses. Two sets of experiments, namely, placebo stud...
Pemberton AD, Slater JS, Milne EM.A method for flunixin detection in equine serum extracts involving thin layer chromatography, spraying the chromatogram with alkaline sodium hypochlorite solution and heating with a detection limit of 50 ng ml-1 is described.
Basu R, Chatterjee A.The administration of pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG), 30 IU on day 18 of pregnancy, resulted in premature labor in rats. However, this abortifacient efficacy of PMSG was not demonstrable when a simultaneous injection of progesterone, clomiphene, or indomethacin was scheduled, thus suggesting that the action of PMSG is medicated by the estrogen-stimulated release of prostaglandin. The termination of pseudopregnancy in bilaterally hysterectomized rats by PMSG and its reversal by indomethacin revealed that the inhibition of luteal function by PMSG does not require the presence of a ute...
García-Sacristán A, Casanueva CR, Castilla C, Labadia A.The presence and types of alpha and beta adrenergic receptors in the urethra and prostate of the horse were studied in vitro using adrenergic agonist and antagonist drugs. The existence of these receptors was shown. This finding was based on the observation that the contractile action was mediated by adrenergic receptors of alpha-1 type, although in the prostate alpha-2 type receptors also participated. Relaxation in both tissues was controlled by receptors of the beta-2 type.
Engelen M, Besche B, Lefay MP, Hare J, Vlaminck K.The objective of this multicentre, randomized, controlled field study was to determine the efficacy of ketanserin gel in preventing exuberant granulation tissue formation (hypergranulation) and infection in equine lower limb wounds. Horses and ponies (n = 481) with naturally occurring wounds were randomized to either topical treatment with ketanserin gel (n = 242) or a positive control (Belgium, Germany: ethacridin lactate solution, n = 120; France, United Kingdom: malic, benzoic, and salicylic acid [MBS] cream, n = 119). Treatment continued until the wound healed (success), formed hypergranul...
Yi R, Zhao S, Lam G, Sandhu J, Loganathan D, Morrissey B.Cathinone is the principal psychostimulant present in the leaves of khat shrub, which are widely used in East Africa and the Arab peninsula as an amphetamine-like stimulant. Cathinone readily undergoes metabolism in vivo to form less potent cathine and norephedrine as the metabolites. However, the presence of cathine and norephedrine in biological fluids cannot be used as an indicator of cathinone administration. The metabolism of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine, commonly used in cold and allergy medications, also produces cathine and norephedrine, respectively, as the metabolites. Besides, cath...
Lavoie JP, Morris DD, Zinkl JG, Lloyd K, Divers TJ.Pancytopenia was evaluated in a mature Quarter Horse gelding. A diagnosis of bone marrow aplasia was made on the basis of bone marrow hypocellularity. History of drugs administered included penicillin, oxytetracycline, trimethoprim-sulfadiazine, phenylbutazone, dipyrone, flunixin meglumine, and isoxsuprine. Clinical remission was observed after treatment with glucocorticoids, androgens, and broad-spectrum antimicrobials.