[Effect of flunixin meglumine on plasma prostanoid concentrations in horses with colic in the perioperative period].

The research article investigates the ability of a drug called flunixin meglumine to inhibit the production of certain substances that might contribute to shock in horses suffering from a type of digestive obstruction called ileus, and its effectiveness in improving their vital signs during and after surgery.

Research Objectives

• The main aim of this study is to assess the role of eicosanoids, specifically prostanoids like thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and prostaglandine E2 (PGE2), in the development of shock in horses with ileus — a condition that obstructs the intestines.
• The research also explores how effective flunixin meglumine, a drug known for inhibiting prostanoid synthesis, is in blocking the production of the aforementioned substances during the peri-operative period — the time frame surrounding a surgical operation — and its implications on the clinical symptoms and laboratory parameters of the affected horses.

Methods

• Twenty-one horses diagnosed with ileus and scheduled for surgery were treated with an intravenous dose of flunixin meglumine (1.1 mg/kg of body weight) immediately after an initial examination and before the surgical procedure.
• Another group of twenty horses who also had ileus and underwent surgical treatment, but were not administered flunixin meglumine, served as the control group.
• The approximate standard plasma levels of the prostanoids were established using data from ten healthy horses as a reference.

Findings

• The plasma levels of TXB2 and PGE2 in all horses with colic, i.e. those from both the treatment and control groups, were significantly higher than those observed in healthy horses.
• The control group (those not treated with flunixin) had plasma levels greatly surpassing the reference values taken from healthy horses throughout the duration of the study.
• Administering flunixin meglumine substantially inhibited the synthesis of prostanoids. The post-operative plasma levels of PGE2 and TXB2 in the treated animals were notably lower than those of the control group.
• Flunixin showed a positive effect on several cardiovascular parameters, thus giving support to previous experimental data about its ability to inhibit the cyclooxygenase enzyme system, which is involved in prostanoid production.

Conclusion

• The findings suggest that flunixin meglumine, a prostanoid synthesis inhibitor, can effectively limit the progression of shock in horses with ileus during the peri-operative period, given that the diagnosis is accurate.