Effects of phenylbutazone alone or in combination with a nutritional therapeutic on gastric ulcers, intestinal permeability, and fecal microbiota in horses.

The study assessed the effects of phenylbutazone, a common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used in horses, on the gastrointestinal system. The scientists also evaluated a nutritional therapeutic treatment that may effectively mitigate the adverse effects of the drug. They found that phenylbutazone negatively affected the horses’ digestive health, but that these impacts could be lessened through the nutritional regimen.

Objectives of the Research

• The principal intention of this study was to understand how phenylbutazone, an NSAID often administered to horses, influences gastrointestinal barrier functions in a live setting.
• Further, the investigators examined whether a nutritional therapeutic could alleviate the gastrointestinal injuries thought to be instigated by phenylbutazone.

Research Methodology

• The study involved thirty healthy horses allocated randomly into one of three groups, each group containing ten horses. One group was the control (receiving no treatment), the second was treated solely with phenylbutazone, and the third group was administered both phenylbutazone and the nutritional therapy.
• The trial was conducted as a blind study, meaning participants were unaware of which treatment was administered.
• Samples were collected throughout the study period to track changes in fecal microbiota and monitor the progression of gastric ulcers before and after treatment.
• Measurement of bacterial 16S rRNA genes in the horses’ blood served as an indicator of intestinal permeability.

Findings of the Study

• Phenylbutazone increased bacterial 16S rDNA in circulation by over three times and amplified the gastric ulceration score by an average of 1.1 grade, indicating damage to the gastrointestinal barrier.
• The drug also triggered specific changes in microbiota, including a reduction of a bacterial genus in the Lachnospiraceae family, Pseudobutyrivibrio.
• The nutritional treatment deployed in conjunction with phenylbutazone muted these adverse changes.

Conclusions of the Research

• The results of the investigation point to the conclusion that phenylbutazone can lead to gastrointestinal harm and disturb barrier function in horses.
• However, the associated changes could be softened through the nutritional treatment, suggesting possible paths towards safer application of phenylbutazone in veterinary medicine.