Acetylsalicylic acid and blood coagulation in the horse.

The research article is focused on the effects of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on equine blood coagulation, studying its antithrombotic efficiency and its potential role in enhancing tissue blood supply in horses.

Background and Purpose

• The research aimed to analyze the role and effects of salicylic acid (SA), a compound that can be naturally present in horse’s blood or a metabolite resulting from acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), on the blood coagulation in horses.
• The study particularly aimed to understand if any endurance-improving effects may be influencing race-horse performance.

Methods and Analysis

• Researchers screened blood samples of trotting-horses that were set to be analyzed for doping substances.
• They detected the presence of SA in the samples and found that individual values followed a Gaussian distribution, with a geometric mean of 19 ng of SA per ml serum.
• The researchers carried out a probit analysis and revealed a linear relationship with an ‘r’ value of 0.995.
• In further studies, the antithrombotic efficacy of acetylsalicylic acid in the horses was also studied by giving an oral dose of 300 mg ASA to the horses.

Results and Conclusion

• The ASA dose lead to considerable elevation of the bleeding time for more than 2 hours. Simultaneously increasing the SA serum levels between 800 and 1000 ng/ml.
• Conclusions were drawn that even salicylate levels below 1 microgram/ml in serum could lead to significant pharmacologic effects in horses.
• These effects include prolongation of bleeding time, a decrease in blood viscosity, and potentially a dilation of the blood vessels.
• The study hypothesizes that these changes could enhance the tissue blood supply, and therefore improve the supply of oxygen in horses.