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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / Efficacy of omeprazole powder paste or enteric-coated formul...
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2014; 28(3); 925-933; doi: 10.1111/jvim.12341

Efficacy of omeprazole powder paste or enteric-coated formulation in healing of gastric ulcers in horses.

Abstract: GastroGard, an omeprazole powder paste formulation, is considered the standard treatment for gastric ulcers in horses and is highly effective. Gastrozol, an enteric-coated omeprazole formulation for horses, has recently become available, but efficacy data are controversial and sparse. Objective: To investigate the efficacy of GastroGard and Gastrozol at labeled doses (4 and 1 mg of omeprazole per kg bwt, respectively, PO q24h) in healing of gastric ulcers. Methods: 40 horses; 9.5 ± 4.6 years; 491 ± 135 kg. Methods: Prospective, randomized, blinded study. Horses with an ulcer score ≥1 (Equine Gastric Ulcer Council) were randomly divided into 2 groups and treated for 2 weeks each with GastroGard followed by Gastrozol (A) or vice versa (B). After 2 and 4 weeks, scoring was repeated and compared with baseline. Plasma omeprazole concentrations were measured on the first day of treatment after administration of GastroGard (n = 5) or Gastrozol (n = 5). Results: Compared with baseline (squamous score (A) 1.65 ± 0.11, (B) 1.98 ± 0.11), ulcer scores at 2 weeks ((A) 0.89 ± 0.11, (B) 1.01 ± 0.11) and 4 weeks ((A) 1.10 ± 0.12, (B) 0.80 ± 0.12) had significantly decreased in both groups (P < .001), independent of treatment (P = .7). Plasma omeprazole concentrations were significantly higher after GastroGard compared with Gastrozol administration (AUCGG = 2856 (1405-4576) ng/mL × h, AUCGZ = 604 (430-1609) ng/mL × h; P = .03). The bioavailability for Gastrozol was 1.26 (95% CI 0.56-2.81) times higher than for GastroGard. Conclusions: Both Gastrozol and GastroGard, combined with appropriate environmental changes, promote healing of gastric ulcers in horses. However, despite enteric coating of Gastrozol, plasma omeprazole concentrations after single labeled doses were significantly higher with GastroGard.
Copyright © 2014 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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Publication Date: 2014-03-14 PubMed ID: 24628650PubMed Central: PMC4895457DOI: 10.1111/jvim.12341Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

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.

The study compares the effectiveness of two treatments for gastric ulcers in horses: GastroGard, an omeprazole powder paste, and Gastrozol, a newly launched enteric-coated omeprazole. The research found that both treatments reduced ulcer scores in horses significantly, but GastroGard led to higher plasma omeprazole concentrations.

Research Objectives and Methods

  • The research was conducted to compare the efficacy of GastroGard, an omeprazole powder paste, and Gastrozol, a new enteric-coated omeprazole, in treating gastric ulcers in horses. The two formulations were compared at their labeled doses in healing gastric ulcers.
  • The study was a randomized, blinded one and involved 40 horses, aged around 9.5 years and weighing around 491 kg. The horses with an ulcer score equal to or greater than 1, according to the Equine Gastric Ulcer Council, were randomly divided into two groups and treated for two weeks each with GastroGard followed by Gastrozol or vice versa.
  • The ulcer scores of the horses were reassessed at two and four weeks after treatment to note changes compared with the baseline. The omeprazole concentrations in the blood were measured on the first day of treatment after administration of GastroGard and Gastrozol.

Research Findings

  • The findings showed that compared with the starting ulcer scores, both treatments significantly reduced ulcer scores at 2 weeks and 4 weeks. This improvement was observed regardless of the type of treatment administered.
  • The study also found that plasma omeprazole concentrations were significantly higher after administration of GastroGard compared to Gastrozol.
  • Despite the enteric coating, which is designed to protect the medication from stomach acid to ensure it reaches the intestine where it can be absorbed, Gastrozol resulted in lower plasma omeprazole concentrations.
  • The bioavailability of Gastrozol was found to be 1.26 times higher than GastroGard, meaning that more of the active drug was available for use in the body.

Research Conclusions

  • It was concluded that both Gastrozol and GastroGard, combined with appropriate environmental changes, effectively promote the healing of gastric ulcers in horses. However, GastroGard resulted in significantly higher plasma omeprazole concentrations in horses.
  • The takeaway from this study is that while Gastrozol does work effectively in treating gastric ulcers in horses, it does not deliver as much omeprazole to the blood as does GastroGard.

Cite This Article

APA
Birkmann K, Junge HK, Maischberger E, Wehrli Eser M, Schwarzwald CC. (2014). Efficacy of omeprazole powder paste or enteric-coated formulation in healing of gastric ulcers in horses. J Vet Intern Med, 28(3), 925-933. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.12341

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 28
Issue: 3
Pages: 925-933

Researcher Affiliations

Birkmann, K
  • Equine Department, Vetsuisse Faculty, Clinic for Equine Internal Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Junge, H K
    Maischberger, E
      Wehrli Eser, M
        Schwarzwald, C C

          MeSH Terms

          • Animals
          • Anti-Ulcer Agents / administration & dosage
          • Anti-Ulcer Agents / blood
          • Anti-Ulcer Agents / pharmacokinetics
          • Anti-Ulcer Agents / therapeutic use
          • Female
          • Horse Diseases / drug therapy
          • Horses
          • Male
          • Ointments / therapeutic use
          • Omeprazole / administration & dosage
          • Omeprazole / blood
          • Omeprazole / pharmacokinetics
          • Omeprazole / therapeutic use
          • Powders / therapeutic use
          • Stomach Ulcer / drug therapy
          • Stomach Ulcer / veterinary
          • Tablets, Enteric-Coated / therapeutic use

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