Phenylbutazone is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) commonly used in horses to manage pain and inflammation associated with musculoskeletal disorders. It functions by inhibiting the cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2), which play a role in the inflammatory process. Phenylbutazone is administered in various formulations, including oral and injectable forms, and is often used in the treatment of conditions such as arthritis, laminitis, and soft tissue injuries. The pharmacokinetics, therapeutic effects, and potential side effects, such as gastrointestinal irritation and renal impairment, are subjects of ongoing research. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the pharmacology, clinical applications, and safety considerations of phenylbutazone in equine medicine.
Meschter CL, Gilbert M, Krook L, Maylin G, Corradino R.Phenylbutazone, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug known to produce gastric ulcers, was administered intravenously (13.46 mg/kg body weight) daily to 12 horses. Horses were euthanatized daily after 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours following the initial injection. Eight untreated horses served as controls. Small multifocal pyloric erosions were seen after 24 hours and then progressed in severity over time. The erosions were characterized by sloughing of the surface epithelium, subepithelial bleb formation, necrosis of the lamina propria, degeneration of the walls of subsurface capillaries, and micro...
Firth EC, Nouws JF, Klein WR, Driessens F.A pilot study in two ponies showed that the plasma concentrations of intramuscularly administered procaine penicillin were higher if phenylbutazone was administered concurrently. In two other trials, each involving five horses, intravenous sodium penicillin was administered with and without concurrent intravenously injected phenylbutazone, and procaine penicillin was injected intramuscularly with and without oral phenylbutazone. In both cases the plasma concentrations of penicillin were higher when phenylbutazone was given. The pharmacokinetic parameters indicated that the effect was probably ...
Stevenson AJ, Weber MP, Todi F, Mendonca M, Fenwick JD, Kwong E, Young L, Leavitt R, Nespolo R, Beaumier P.A study of the effects of intravenous administration of either 150 mg or 250 mg of furosemide to standardbred mares pre-treated with other drugs was undertaken to determine whether a unique pattern of drug elimination into urine and from plasma for each compound occurred. Furosemide significantly reduced the plasma concentrations of codeine compared to control 2-6 h after furosemide administration. In contrast, the plasma concentrations of theophylline, phenylbutazone, pentazocine, guaifenesin and flunixin were not markedly altered by furosemide. In the case of acepromazine, clenbuterol and fe...
Auer DE, Ng JC, Seawright AA.Topically applied copper phenylbutazone, phenylbutazone, copper salicylate, salicylate and dimethylsulfoxide glycerol (80:20) were investigated as anti-inflammatory agents in rats and horses. Dimethylsulfoxide and glycerol (80:20) or dimethylsulfoxide, ethanol and glycerol (60:20:20) were used as the drug solvents. Subcutaneously administered carrageenin was used to induce inflammatory oedema, either in the paws of rats or the alar fold of the horse. The severity of the oedema and the anti-inflammatory effect of the drugs were assessed by measuring changes in the paw or alar-fold diameters. Co...
Auer DE, Ng JC, Seawright AA.Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) were isolated from an inflammatory exudate induced in the intercarpal joints of horses by an administration of carrageenin. Their superoxide production at rest and following stimulation with either serum-treated zymosan (STZ) or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) was measured by cytochrome-c reduction. Stimulation of the cells increased the cytochrome-c reduction 10-15 times that of resting cells. The maxima were 20 nmol of reduced cytochrome-c per 10(6) cells per ml at 120 min (STZ) and 35 nmol of reduced cytochrome-c per 10(6) cells per ml at 60 min (PMA). T...
Simmons TR, Gaughan EM, Ducharme NG, Dill SG, King JM, Anderson WI.Excessive administration of phenylbutazone was associated with development of right dorsal ulcerative colitis. The clinical signs of right dorsal colitis include chronic colic and weight loss. The laboratory abnormalities include panhypoproteinemia and a high WBC count in the abdominal fluid. Medical management of the chronic colic and protein-losing enteropathy associated with the ulcerative lesions in the right dorsal colon and surgical bypass of the right dorsal colon did not result in long-term resolution of clinical signs. Resection of the ulcerated right dorsal colon through a right late...
Ellison RS, Jacobs RM.This study was undertaken to ascertain if the isoelectric focusing pattern of serum alkaline phosphatase (AP) from sick horses with high activity is useful for determining its tissue origin. The effect of oral prednisolone and phenylbutazone therapy on this enzyme in healthy horses was also investigated. The sick horses were divided into three groups: hepatic, intestinal and miscellaneous. All sera had approximately thirteen bands of AP activity when focused on agarose gels with a pH gradient of 3.5 to 9.5. All the horses in the liver disease group had greater than 65% of enzyme activity in ba...
Gustafson SB, McIlwraith CW, Jones RL.Four groups of 8 horses each had 1 midcarpal joint injected with 33 colony-forming units (CFU) of viable Staphylococcus aureus plus: 1 ml of saline solution (group 1, control), 250 mg of polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (PSGAG, group 2), 100 mg of methylprednisolone acetate (group 3), or 20 mg of sodium hyaulronate (group 4). Horses were euthanatized, and samples were obtained on the basis of clinical signs of septic arthritis that were nonresponsive to phenylbutazone administration. One group-1 horse, all 8 group-2 horses, 3 group-3 horses, and 4 group-4 horses were culture-positive for S aureu...
King JN, Gerring EL.Post operative ileus is a serious complication of abdominal surgery in horses and there is evidence that endotoxin plays a significant role in its pathogenesis. Pre-treatment with intravenous (i.v.) flunixin (1.1 mg/kg bodyweight [bwt]) or phenylbutazone (4.4 mg/kg bwt) significantly antagonised the acute disruption of gastric, small intestinal and large intestinal motility induced by 0.1 microgram/kg bwt i.v. endotoxin in ponies implanted with gastrointestinal strain gauges. Phenylbutazone was more effective than flunixin and this was significant (P < 0.01) for the stomach and left dorsal col...
Zicker SC, Brumbaugh GW.The effect of phenylbutazone (4.4 mg/kg of body weight, IV, q 24 h, for 5 days) on glucose tolerance and on secretion of insulin in 6 healthy geldings was determined. Phenylbutazone significantly lowered fasting concentrations of glucose in plasma but did not significantly change the concentration of insulin in serum. There was no significant effect of phenylbutazone on glucose tolerance, on secretion of insulin, or on the area under the insulin/glucose ratio vs time curve in healthy geldings, as determined by paired t test analysis.
Geor RJ, Petrie L, Papich MG, Rousseaux C.The effects of sucralfate and ranitidine on the gastrointestinal manifestations of phenylbutazone (PBZ) toxicity in horse foals were determined by complete blood count, serum chemistry profile, and gross and histological necropsy examinations. Twenty-eight, three to four month old Belgian-cross foals were randomly assigned to one of four groups. Phenylbutazone was administered at a dosage of 10 mg/kg of bodyweight (BW) per day, intravenously (IV), in equally divided doses to three of the groups. In addition to PBZ, ranitidine was administered at 2 mg/kg BW, IV, twice daily, to one group of sev...
Burrows GE, MacAllister CG, Tripp P, Black J.The potential for interactions between chloramphenicol, phenylbutazone, acepromazine and thiamylal and chloramphenicol, rifampin, and phenylbutazone were evaluated in two groups of experiments. In the first, five horses were given thiamylal intravenously (iv) (6.6 mg/kg) after pretreatment with acepromazine, and the time of recumbency was determined. Administration of chloramphenicol iv (25 mg/kg) 1 h prior to anaesthesia significantly lengthened the recumbency time from 21.8 +/- 4.8 mins to 36.0 +/- 8.3 mins. There was an apparent but not statistically significant decrease in recumbency time ...
May SA, Hooke RE, Lees P.There is increasing evidence that the proteoglycan-degrading neutral metalloproteinase, stromelysin, is a key enzyme in the pathogenesis of osteoarthrosis. Equine synovial lining cells were stimulated in vitro to produce stromelysin, and phenylbutazone, flunixin, betamethasone, sodium hyaluronate and polysulphated glycosaminoglycan (PSGAG) were tested for their ability to inhibit the action of this enzyme on 14C-labelled casein substrate. Only PSGAG possessed inhibitory activity at concentrations likely to be achieved therapeutically in the equine fetlock joint.
Cohen ML, Ming RH, Gogel HK, Davis M, Pitcher JL.Phenylbutazone (PBZ) is a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) that is not commonly prescribed due to the high incidence of serious adverse reactions. However, it is still used extensively in equine medicine, and is readily available to those employed in the care and management of horses. Such persons may take the drug indiscriminately, without medical supervision. We present a 33-year-old male race horse track worker who took phenylbutazone horse pills for a chronic toothache and subsequently suffered a major hemorrhage from a gastric ulcer. Human use of phenylbutazone horse pills shoul...
Hondalus MK, Lofstedt J.A 16-year-old pony with signs of intermittent abdominal pain was treated with phenylbutazone in excess of the recommended dosage. Endoscopy revealed ulceration of the esophagus, stomach, and proximal portion of small intestine. The pony developed diarrhea. Salmonella typhimurium was isolated from the blood and feces. Treatment included fluids, trimethoprim-sulfadiazine, sucralfate, and ranitidine hydrochloride. The diarrhea resolved, as did the gastrointestinal ulceration. This case was unusual because septicemia with salmonellosis is an uncommon finding in adult equids. Also, complications co...
Lees P, Taylor JB, Higgins AJ, Sedgwick AD.In vitro and in vivo studies of phenylbutazone binding to equine ingesta and digesta were undertaken. In vitro binding to chopped hay and powdered pony nuts in buffer solutions at 37 degrees C was found to be time-, concentration- and pH-dependent. Percentage binding generally increased with time, decreased with concentration and varied with buffer pH in an unpredictable manner. Other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) also bound to hay, the degree of binding being less for meclofenamate and least for flunixin in comparison with phenylbutazone. Phenylbutazone became bound to digest...
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.
Craig AM, Blythe LL, Appell LH, Slizeski ML.Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) had been postulated to be a 'masking agent' when used concurrently with therapeutic or prohibited drugs in racing animals. Eight drugs (flunixin, furosemide, caffeine, apomorphine, phenylbutazone, lidocaine, cocaine, and acepromazine maleate) were administered to six horses singly and with concurrent intravenous DMSO. Urine samples were analyzed for the presence of the drugs and/or their metabolites by thin layer chromatography. Direct comparison of thin layer chromatograms of extracts of positive urine samples with and without DMSO verified that DMSO did not interfer...
Lees P, Higgins AJ.Five matched pairs of horses were used to investigate the biochemical, haematological and general clinical effects of a new dosage schedule of a phenylbutazone paste administered under controlled feeding conditions. One group of horses received a loading dose (8.8 mg/kg) on day 1, followed by doses of 3.3 mg/kg daily on days 2 to 8, 10 and 12 with no treatment on days 9 and 11. The second group received equivalent doses of a placebo paste. Bodyweight, skin temperature, respiratory rate, glutamate dehydrogenase activity, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular volume and neutrophil count were alte...
Dawson J, Lees P, Sedgwick AD.The direct effects of four non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on equine polymorphonuclear (PMN) and mononuclear (MN) leucocyte movement were investigated using two in vitro assay systems. The Boyden chamber microfilter technique measures both chemokinetic and chemotactic locomotion, and the agarose microdroplet assay measures solely chemokinesis. Zymosan-activated plasma (ZAP) and the synthetic peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) were used as standard chemoattractants for PMN and MN leucocytes, respectively. The actions of six concentrations of each NSAID, indome...
Slauson DO, Skrabalak DS, Neilsen NR, Zwahlen RD.Equine neutrophils (PMN) were isolated from citrated normal blood by density gradient separation on Ficoll-Hypaque to greater than 96% purity and 98% viability and an average of 3.78 x 10(7) PMN/ml. The agonist C5a des Arg was used in serial dilutions of whole zymosan-activated equine plasma (ZAP) or was partially purified from ZAP by column chromatography. Purified equine PMN exhibited rapid aggregation following incubation with C5a des Arg which was further dependent on the availability of divalent cations, especially Mg++. The microfilament disruptive agent cytochalasin B (5 micrograms/50 m...
Smith PB, Caldwell J, Smith RL, Horner MW, Moss MS.[phenyl-14C]-Phenylbutazone was administered to 2 horses p.o. and i.v. on separate occasions. Plasma levels and urinary and faecal elimination of 14C were monitored for up to 7 days after dosing. Phenylbutazone was rapidly and extensively absorbed after oral administration, and its bioavailability was 91% assessed by comparison of plasma AUCs of unchanged drug after p.o. and i.v. administration. The plasma elimination half-life of phenylbutazone was 9.7 h and this was independent of the route of administration. The pattern of elimination of phenylbutazone was independent of the route of admini...
Lees P, Taylor JB, Maitho TE, Millar JD, Higgins AJ.The pharmacokinetics, metabolism, excretion and tissue residues of phenylbutazone (PBZ) in the horse were studied following both intravenous and oral administration of the drug at a dose rate of 4.4 mg/kg. A 72-hour blood sampling schedule failed to demonstrate a third exponential phase; the plasma disposition following intravenous injection being described by a two compartment open model, with the following elimination phase parameters: beta = 0.13h-1, t1/2 beta = 5.46h, Vdarea = 0.141 1/kg and C1B = 17.9 ml/kg/h. The hydroxylated metabolites oxyphenbutazone (OPBZ) and gamma-hydroxyphenylbuta...
Bertone AL, McIlwraith CW, Jones RL, Norrdin RW, Radin MJ.Both tarsocrural joints of 4 horses were inoculated with 1.5 X 10(5) colony-forming units of Staphylococcus aureus. On days 1, 3, and 6, each horse had one tarsocrural joint lavaged with a balanced electrolyte solution and had the contralateral tarsocrural joint lavaged with 0.1% povidone-iodine solution. All horses were orally administered trimethoprim (5 mg/kg)/sufadiazine (25 mg/kg) combination twice daily and phenylbutazone (2 g) once daily for the duration of the study (21 days). On days 0, 1, 3, 6, 9, 14, and 21, synovial fluid specimens were collected and analyzed for color, clarity, to...
Neaderland MH, Riis RC, Rebhun WC, Erb HN.Corneal ulcers to the depth of the anterior third of the stroma were created surgically in both eyes of 10 ponies. One eye in each pony was treated topically with chloramphenicol and 1% atropine ophthalmic ointments 3 times per day; the contralateral eye was not treated topically. All ponies were given phenylbutazone orally for relief of ocular pain. Fluorescein-stained ulcers were measured once a day. The median healing time of the treated eyes (11 days) and the median healing time of the nontreated eyes (13.5 days) were found not to be significantly different. Clinically, however, more sever...
Lees P, Higgins AJ.In a 12-day treatment schedule, 5 ponies were given orally a paste formulation of phenylbutazone (PBZ) and 5 matched ponies were given equivalent doses of a placebo paste. On day 12, a mild, nonimmune inflammatory reaction was induced subcutaneously in the neck of each pony by inserting sterile, polyester sponge strips soaked in a 2% carrageenan solution. Exudate was collected at 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours by serial removal of sponges. There were no significant (P less than 0.05) differences in exudate protein concentration and leukocyte numbers between the treatment groups, but the group given PB...
Lees P, Higgins AJ, Mawhinney IC, Reid DS.The absorption pattern of phenylbutazone was studied in five horses during administration of the drug in a paste formulation on days 1, 5, 8 and 12 of a 12-day dosing schedule. Since two or more plasma concentration peaks were usually obtained following each oral dose, it was concluded that phasic absorption was a particular feature of the oil:water formulation of the product. Possible causes of this unusual absorption pattern are discussed and the therapeutic implications of both phasic absorption and the recorded values of Cmax, tmax and AUC024 for phenylbutazone and its active metabolite ox...
Turner TA.Navicular disease was diagnosed in 36 horses. Each horse was treated, using shoeing as the only major means of treatment. Phenylbutazone was used initially for 10 days after shoeing. Shoeing was designed to correct preexisting problems, enhance physiologic function of the foot, and ease breakover of the foot. The horses were evaluated over a period ranging from 12 to 54 months. The lameness improved in all horses. Thirty-one of the 36 horses treated were not lame when last evaluated. Shoeing was most effective when performed within 8 months of the first signs of lameness. Also, horses used for...
Jeffcott LB, Colles CM.The clinical uses and side-effects of phenylbutazone in man, horses, and other animals are reviewed. The blood dyscrasias commonly described in man have not been reported in the horse, although several of the more minor side-effects have occasionally been seen (e.g. water retention, depression, transient staggering and phlebitis). Despite the lack of documented evidence, the toxicity of phenylbutazone in the horse is considered to be lower than that in man. This may be associated with the lower dose rates normally used, the more rapid plasma clearance rate and the comparatively younger age of ...
Taguchi T, Morales Yniguez FJ, Takawira C, Andrews FM, Lopez MJ.Osteoarthritis (OA) accounts for up to 60% of equine lameness. Agmatine, a decarboxylated arginine, may be a viable option for OA management, based on reports of its analgesic properties. Six adult thoroughbred horses, with lameness attributable to thoracic limb OA, received either daily oral phenylbutazone (6.6 mg/kg), agmatine sulfate (25 mg/kg) or a control for 30 days, with 21-day washout periods between treatments. Subjective lameness, thoracic limb ground reaction forces (GRF), plasma agmatine and agmatine metabolite levels were evaluated using an established rubric, a force platform, an...
Hinchcliff KW, McKeever KH, Muir WW, Sams RA.The effect of premedication with phenylbutazone on systemic hemodynamic and diuretic effects of furosemide was examined in 6 healthy, conscious, mares. Mares were instrumented for measurement of systemic hemodynamics, including cardiac output and pulmonary arterial, systemic arterial, and intracardiac pressures, and urine flow. Each of 3 treatments was administered in a randomized, blinded study; furosemide (1 mg/kg of body weight, IV) only, phenylbutazone (8.8 mg/kg, PO, at 24 hours and 4.4 mg/kg, IV, 30 minutes before furosemide) and furosemide, or 0.9% NaCl. Phenylbutazone administration si...
Dyke TM, Hinchcliff KW, Sams RA.The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of phenylbutazone premedication on the pharmacokinetics and urinary excretion of frusemide in horses; and on frusemide-induced changes in urinary electrolyte excretion. Six Standardbred mares were used in a 3-way crossover design. The pharmacokinetics and renal effects of frusemide (1 mg/kg bwt i.v.) were studied with and without phenylbutazone premedication (8.8 mg/kg bwt per os 24 h before, followed by 4.4 mg/kg bwt i.v. 30 min before frusemide administration). A control (saline) treatment was also studied. Administration of frusemide...
Purohit RC, Nachreiner RF, Humburg JM, Norwood GL, Beckett SD.Circulating concentrations of angiotensin I and plasma renin activity (PRA) were determined in 45 Thoroughbreds before prerace medication (at rest), 1 to 1 1/2 hours before racing but after prerace medication (prerace), within 15 minutes after racing (immediately postrace), and between 1 to 2 hours after racing. Angiotensin I was measured by radioimmunoassay, and PRA was determined by the rate of generation of angiotensin I in plasma incubated at 37 C. Irrespective of prerace medication, there was a marked increase in angiotensin I (0.478 +/- 0.034 to 0.848 +/- 0.051 ng/ml) and PRA (0.191 +/- ...
Jaraiz V, Rodriguez C, San Andres MD, Gonzalez F, San Andres MI.A disposition and bioequivalence study with a suxibuzone granulated and a suxibuzone paste oral formulation was performed in horses. Suxibuzone (SBZ) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, which was administered to horses (n = 6) at a dosage of 19 mg/kg bwt by the oral route (p.o.) in a two period cross-over design. Suxibuzone is very rapidly transformed into its main active metabolites, phenylbutazone (PBZ) and oxyphenbutazone (OPBZ). Therefore plasma and synovial fluid concentrations of SBZ, PBZ and OPBZ were simultaneously measured by a sensitive and specific high-performance liquid chro...
May SA, Hooke RE, Lees P.There is increasing evidence that the proteoglycan-degrading neutral metalloproteinase, stromelysin, is a key enzyme in the pathogenesis of osteoarthrosis. Equine synovial lining cells were stimulated in vitro to produce stromelysin, and phenylbutazone, flunixin, betamethasone, sodium hyaluronate and polysulphated glycosaminoglycan (PSGAG) were tested for their ability to inhibit the action of this enzyme on 14C-labelled casein substrate. Only PSGAG possessed inhibitory activity at concentrations likely to be achieved therapeutically in the equine fetlock joint.
Ahmadnejad M, Jalilzadeh-Amin G, Sykes BW.Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), like phenylbutazone (PBZ), are prescribed to treat pain and inflammation in the equine. However, experimentally their use has been associated with the development of Equine Glandular Gastric Disease (EGGD). To evaluate the prophylactic effects of Glycyrrhiza glabra root extracts (GGRE) on EGGD induction following oral administration of PBZ, 12 donkeys were used. Animals were divided into three equal groups (A, B and C) in a randomized block design. A: placebo, B: PBZ (4.4 mg/kg PO q 12 h) and C: PBZ plus GGRE (17.6 mg/kg PO q 24h). Gastroscopy an...
Chay S, Woods WE, Nugent TE, Weckman T, Houston T, Sprinkle F, Blake JW, Tobin T, Soma LR, Yocum J.Experiments to determine the residual plasma concentrations of phenylbutazone and its metabolites found in horses racing on a 'no-race day medication' or 24-h rule were carried out. One dosing schedule (oral-i.v.) consisted of 8.8 mg/kg (4 g/1000 lbs) orally for 3 days, followed by 4.4 mg/kg (2 g/1000 lbs) intravenously on day 4. A second schedule consisted of 4.4 mg/kg i.v. for 4 days. The experiments were carried out in Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses at pasture, half-bred horses at pasture, and in Thoroughbred horses in training. After administering the i.v. schedule for 4 days to Thor...
Adair HS, Goble DO, Schmidhammer JL, Shires GM.To measure changes in laminar microvascular blood flow (LMBF) over time in healthy horses and horses in the prodromal stage of black walnut-induced laminitis and to determine the effects of glyceryl trinitrate application on LMBF in horses with acute laminitis. Methods: 10 healthy adult horses. Methods: Laser Doppler flowmetry was used to measure LMBF Baseline measurements were obtained, horses were given deionized water via a nasogastric tube, and measurements were obtained hourly for 12 hours. Twenty-four hours later, baseline measurements were again obtained, and horses were given black wal...
Ellison RS, Jacobs RM.This study was undertaken to ascertain if the isoelectric focusing pattern of serum alkaline phosphatase (AP) from sick horses with high activity is useful for determining its tissue origin. The effect of oral prednisolone and phenylbutazone therapy on this enzyme in healthy horses was also investigated. The sick horses were divided into three groups: hepatic, intestinal and miscellaneous. All sera had approximately thirteen bands of AP activity when focused on agarose gels with a pH gradient of 3.5 to 9.5. All the horses in the liver disease group had greater than 65% of enzyme activity in ba...
Landuyt J, Delbeke FT, Debackere M.The plasma concentrations of phenylbutazone (PBZ) and its major metabolites, oxyphenbutazone (OPBZ) and gamma-OH-phenylbutazone (OHPBZ) were determined for up to 72 h in six horses, following intravenous (i.v.) and intramuscular (i.m.) administration of 4 g phenylbutazone, 20 ml Phenylarthrite Ventoquinol (Vetoquinol Spécialités Pharmaceutiques Vétérinaires, Magny-Vernois, 70200 Lure, France). After i.v. dosing the plasma disposition was best described by a two-compartment open model. The hydroxylated metabolites OPBZ and OHPBZ were present in detectable concentrations for 72 h and 48 h, r...
Li Z, Du S, Wang X, Zhang L, Liu X, Fan Q, Yang H, Gao R.Phenylbutazone (PBZ) is the most commonly used drug to treat symptoms of lameness in horses; however, it is associated with adverse effects such as gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS). Interestingly, many practitioners prescribe omeprazole (OME) concurrently with PBZ to prevent the development of EGUS. However, the efficacy and safety of this practice in Mongolian horses with chronic lameness remain unknown. Objective: To evaluate the clinical effects of a combination of PBZ and OME on chronic lameness in Mongolian horses. Methods: Randomised block experimental design. Methods: Eighteen Mongolian ho...
Boison JO, Dowling P, Matus JL, Kinar J, Johnson R.This study reports the use of two validated LC with tandem MS (MS/MS) methods to study the residue depletion profile of phenylbutazone (PBZ) and its metabolite oxyphenbutazone (OXPBZ) from equine serum, urine, and muscle, kidney, and liver tissues. One LC-MS/MS method, with an LOQ of 1.0 ng/mL for PBZ and 2.0 ng/mL for OXPBZ, was used for the analysis of the two drugs in the biological fluids (equine urine and serum); the other LC-MS/MS method, with an LOQ of 0.5 ng/g for PBZ and OXPBZ, was used for the analysis of the drugs in the equine tissue samples. PBZ was administered intravenously to t...
Tung JT, Venta PJ, Eberhart SW, Yuzbasiyan-Gurkan V, Alexander L, Caron JP.To determine the effects of recombinant equine interleukin -1beta (reIL-1beta) and 4 anti-inflammatory compounds on the expression and activity of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in cultured equine chondrocytes. Methods: Articular cartilage from 9 young adult horses. Methods: Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction methods were used to amplify a portion of equine COX-2 to prepare a cDNA probe. Northern blot analysis was used to quantify the expression of COX-2 in first-passage cultures of equine articular chondrocytes propagated in media containing dexamethasone (DEX), phenylbutazone (PBZ), pol...
Soma LR, Sams R, Duer W, Tobin T, Woodward C, McDonald J.The plasma and serum concentrations of phenylbutazone (PBZ) and oxyphenbutazone were measured in 158 Thoroughbred horses after various doses of PBZ wer given. All horses were competing or training at racetracks in various parts of the country. All horses used in the study had not been given PBZ 24 hours before they were placed on a specific dosage schedule. Samples were collected 24 hours after the last PBZ administration. Four grams of PBZ were given daily by stomach tube, paste, or tablet for 3 days. On day 4, 24 hours before sample collection, an IV dose of 2 g of PBZ was given, regardless ...
Fradette ME, Céleste C, Richard H, Beauchamp G, Laverty S.To evaluate the effects of continuous oral administration of phenylbutazone on serum and synovial fluid biomarkers of skeletal matrix metabolism in horses. Methods: 11 adult female horses without clinical or radiographic evidence of joint disease. Methods: Horses were randomly assigned to control or treatment groups. Phenylbutazone was administered orally twice daily at a dose of 4.4 mg/kg for 3 days to the treatment group and subsequently at a dose of 2.2 mg/kg for 7 days. Serum and radiocarpal synovial fluid samples were obtained at baseline and thereafter at regular intervals for 4 weeks. B...
Walters B, Trumble TN, Wendt-Hornickle E, Kennedy M, Guedes A.Apoptosis is an important mechanism underlying chondrocyte loss in osteoarthritis that could be affected by modulation of lipid signaling via inhibition of cyclooxygenases (COX) and soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH). Objective: To determine the impact of inhibiting COX and sEH alone or in combination on apoptosis of equine chondrocytes. Methods: Cultured primary equine chondrocytes were subjected to serum deprivation or incubation with 1 μg/ml tunicamycin for 24 h to induce apoptosis via caspase activation and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, respectively. Cells were treated with the non-se...
Kemp KL, Skinner JE, Bertin FR.Phenylbutazone is prescribed for laminitis-associated pain and decreases glucose and insulin responses to an oral glucose test (OGT) in horses with insulin dysregulation (ID). Objective: Investigate the effect of phenylbutazone administration on the enteroinsular axis in horses. Methods: Sixteen horses, including 7 with ID. Methods: Randomized cross-over study design, with horses assigned to treatment with phenylbutazone (4.4 mg/kg IV q24h) or placebo (5 mL 0.9% saline). On Day 9 of treatment, an OGT was conducted, followed by a 10-day washout period, administration of the alternative trea...
Ramirez S, Seahorn TL, Williams J.This report describes a renal ultrasonographic abnormality (medullary rim sign), which was identified in 2 separate cases of spontaneously occurring disease associated with chronic and acute overdosage of phenylbutazone therapy. In horses, medullary rim sign has only been documented in neonatal foals experimentally administered large doses of phenylbutazone.