Comparative Anti-inflammatory Effects of Insulin and Flunixin on Acute-Phase Responses and Cardiovascular Biomarkers During Inflammatory Phase in Miniature Donkeys.

This research investigates the effect of insulin and a drug called flunixin on inflammation-induced variables in miniature donkeys. The findings reveal insulin, given at a specific dosage, can match flunixin’s anti-inflammatory effects.

Research Overview

This research focused on the comparative analysis of the anti-inflammatory performance of two treatments: insulin, administered at different doses, and flunixin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. The inflammation was artificially generated through the administration of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) serotype O55:B5 in 24 healthy adult male miniature donkeys.

Research Methodology

• The selected donkeys were organized into four experimental groups, three of which were treatment groups where the donkeys received insulin or flunixin, and the last group served as a control group where the donkeys were given LPS to induce inflammation, but no anti-inflammatory drug.
• Six hours post-inflammatory phase initiation, the subjects in the treatment groups received doses of insulin or flunixin as per their group assignment. The groups were labeled Insln 1.5, Insln 3, and Flnx for easier identification.

Participants

• The donkeys in Insln 1.5 and Insln 3 groups were given insulin at 1.5 IU kg and 3 IU kg respectively.
• The animals in the Flnx group received flunixin at 2.2 mg kg.
• The donkeys in the control group, however, did not receive any anti-inflammatory drug post-LPS administration.

Findings

• The researchers found that the serum concentrations of cardiovascular acute-phase proteins and cytokines were increased during the inflammatory phase in the donkeys.
• The results also disclosed that insulin, when administered at the dose of 3 IU kg, had the same effects as flunixin at 2.2 mg kg in improving nearly all the physiological and hematobiochemical variables after 24 hours.
• The variables monitored included tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma, haptoglobin, serum amyloid A, cardiac troponin I, hemocysteine, white blood cell count, and packed cell volume.

Conclusion

These findings indicate that insulin at a dose of 3 IU kg might be a useful treatment for inflammatory conditions in miniature donkeys. Furthermore, insulin at a dose of 1.5 IU kg did not show the same level of effectiveness.