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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Parasitol / Anthelmintic drugs used in equine species.
Veterinary parasitology2018; 261; 27-52; doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.08.002

Anthelmintic drugs used in equine species.

Abstract: Internal parasites of horses comprise an intractable problem conferring disease, production and performance losses. Parasitism can rarely be controlled in grazing horses by management alone and anthelmintic drugs have formed the basis of therapy and prophylaxis for the last sixty years. The pharmacology of the anthelmintic drugs available dictate their spectrum of activity and degree of efficacy, their optimal routes of administration and characteristics which prevent some routes of administration, their safety tolerance and potential toxicities and as a consequence of their persistence in the body at effective concentrations their use in epidemiological control programmes. Their use has also resulted in the selection of parasites with genetically controlled characteristics which reduce their susceptibility to treatment, characteristics which are often common to whole chemical classes of anthelmintics. Pharmacological properties also confer compatibility in terms of safety and persistence with other anthelmintic drugs and thus the potential of combinations to treat parasites from different phylogenetic groups such as nematodes, cestodes and trematodes and also the potential by agency of their different molecular mechanisms of action to delay the selection of resistant genes. The major groups of anthelmintics now available, the benzimidazoles (BZD), macrocyclic lactones (MLs) and tetrahydropyrimidines are all highly effective against their targeted parasites (primarily nematodes for BZD's and ML's and cestodes for tetrahydropyrimidines) easily administered orally to horses and are well tolerated with wide margins of safety. Nevertheless, some parasitic stages are inherently less susceptible such as hypobiotic stages of the small strongyles (cyathostomins) and for some such as the adult stages of cyathostomins resistance has developed. Furthermore, for some less common parasites such as the liver fluke unlicensed drugs such as the salicylanilide, closantel have been used. A deep understanding of the pharmacology of anthelmintic drugs is essential to their optimal use in equine species.
Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2018-08-07 PubMed ID: 30253849DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.08.002Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research article discusses the use of antihelminthic medications in horses, their effectiveness in controlling parasites, the issues around resistance, and the necessity of understanding their pharmacology for optimal use.

Significance of Anthelmintic Drugs in Horses

  • Internal parasites can cause serious health issues in horses including disease and loss of production and performance. To manage these issues, anthelmintic drugs have been used for treatment and prevention over the past six decades.
  • The characteristics and benefits of these drugs are defined by their pharmacology. It determines their range of effect, efficacy, best modes of administration, safety profiles, possible toxicities, and their usage in managing parasite outbreaks.
  • However, the use of these drugs has led to an unintended consequence: the development of resistant strains of parasites with genetic traits that decrease their sensitivity to these medications.

Groups and Efficiency of Anthelmintic Drugs

  • The commonly used anthelmintic drugs can be divided into three major groups: benzimidazoles (BZD), macrocyclic lactones (MLs), and tetrahydropyrimidines.
  • BZD and ML target primarily nematodes, while tetrahydropyrimidines show effectiveness against cestodes. They are administered orally to horses and exhibit a high level of safety.
  • However, some parasites, such as the small strongyles (cyathostomins), have more resilient stages that show lesser susceptibility. Furthermore, resistance has been observed in adult stages of cyathostomins.

Resistance and the Need for Pharmacological Understanding

  • The emergence of resistant parasites necessitates an understanding of the pharmacology of anthelmintic drugs to optimize their usage.
  • Some drugs, such as the salicylanilide, closantel, have been used to treat less common parasites like liver fluke, but these drugs are not officially approved for this purpose.
  • The compatibility of these drugs with other anthelmintic medications and their potential to delay the spread of resistant genes through their distinct molecular mechanisms of action is also a crucial area of study.

In conclusion, managing parasitic infestations in horses is a complex task that requires a deep comprehension of the pharmacology of the available anthelmintic drugs, to maximize their effectiveness and manage resistance.

Cite This Article

APA
Gokbulut C, McKellar QA. (2018). Anthelmintic drugs used in equine species. Vet Parasitol, 261, 27-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.08.002

Publication

Veterinary parasitology
ISSN: 1873-2550
NlmUniqueID: 7602745
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 261
Pages: 27-52
PII: S0304-4017(18)30291-7

Researcher Affiliations

Gokbulut, Cengiz
  • Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Balikesir University, Balikesir, Turkey. Electronic address: cengizgokbulut@yahoo.com.
McKellar, Quintin A
  • University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9AB, United Kingdom.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Anthelmintics / pharmacology
  • Anthelmintics / therapeutic use
  • Drug Resistance
  • Equidae
  • Helminths

Citations

This article has been cited 20 times.
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