[Experimental reproduction of lactic acidosis in the pony].

This research article investigates the effects of L-lactic acid on ponies, administered both intravenously and into the caecum, along with the impact of sucrose given intracaecally. The study observes the changes in histamine, lactic acid, magnesium levels, and carbon dioxide pressure in blood, as well as pH levels and lactic acid concentration in the caecum.

Methodology and Experiment

• The researchers used three ponies for this study. One was subjected to intravenous injections of L-lactic acid, while the other two were trained for intracaecal administration of either L-lactic acid or sucrose.
• The team measured the impact of these substances on the concentration of specific elements and compounds in the pony’s body, including histamine and lactic acid, as well as the pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood. They also observed these effects on the caecum with focuses on pH levels and the local concentration of lactic acid.

Results from Intravenous Lactic Acid

• Results showed that intravenous injection of L-lactic acid increased the levels of histamin and lactic acid in blood of both control and treated animals. This means that directly adding lactic acid to the bloodstream creates a physiological effect where histamine, an inflammatory mediator, and lactic acid, a byproduct of physical activity and sugar metabolism, increase in concentration.
• Alongside this, the levels of magnesium, a crucial mineral for many bodily functions, decreased. Furthermore, the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood reduced. These changes occurred without resulting in clinical symptoms of lactic acidosis, an accumulation of lactate in the body which leads to pH imbalance.

Results from Intracaecal Lactic Acid

• Intracaecal administration of lactic acid led to a high relief of histamin in the caecum of both the control and treated ponies. However, there was no modification in the blood histamine level, denoting that the observed effect is localized to the area of administration.

Results from Intracaecal Sucrose

• When sucrose was administered intracaecally, the pH in the caecum decreased and the concentration of lactic acid increased. This indicates that the body metabolizes the simple sugar into lactic acid, which leads to a decrease in pH levels or a more acidic environment.
• In this condition, an accumulation of histamin in the caecum was observed only in the non-fasting ponies, starved animals, and the ponies that were fed during the experiment. This outcome implicates the necessity of food proteins for histamin synthesis, suggesting dietary influence on inflammatory response.