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Home / Equine Research Bank / Antioxidants (Basel) / Innovative Blood Antioxidant Test in Standardbred Trotter Ho...
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)2021; 10(12); 2013; doi: 10.3390/antiox10122013

Innovative Blood Antioxidant Test in Standardbred Trotter Horses.

Abstract: In athletic horses, prolonged and intense training gives rise to an imbalance between the production of free radicals and antioxidant molecules, leading to oxidative stress. Considering the relation between exercise and oxidative stress in horses, the present work aims to validate the Kit Radicaux Libres (KRL) test as a tool to verify the influence of taming, training and racing on the total blood antioxidant activity and some haematochemical parameters. Five Italian Standardbred racehorses (two males and three females, aged 12 ± 1 months) from the same training center were selected and monitored upon arrival and during the following year until the racing season. Blood samples were obtained at different timepoints, corresponding to different steps of training. The data showed that KRL values were higher ( < 0.001) before the beginning of the taming period and at 60 days of taming, compared with the training and racing periods; additionally, the total protein value was affected by the training program, whereas no effects of training on muscle enzymes were detected. These results confirm that exercise plays a role in the production of free radicals and show that the KRL test may represent a valid method to determine oxidative stress in athletic horses.
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Publication Date: 2021-12-18 PubMed ID: 34943116PubMed Central: PMC8698842DOI: 10.3390/antiox10122013Google Scholar: Lookup
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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.

This research aims to validate a test called Kit Radicaux Libres (KRL) in monitoring blood antioxidant activity and certain blood chemical parameters in athletic horses. The study indicates that intense training affects these horses’ antioxidant levels and production of free radicals, elements associated with oxidative stress.

Objective and Methodology of the Study

  • This study aimed to validate the use of the Kit Radicaux Libres (KRL) test to evaluate the impact of taming, training, and racing on horses’ total blood antioxidant activity and specific haematochemical parameters.
  • Five Italian Standardbred racehorses of roughly the same age and from the same training center were the subjects of this study.
  • The researchers collected blood samples at various points corresponding to different training stages over a year, beginning upon their arrival at the training center and continuing through the racing season.

Key Findings and Their Implications

  • The study found clear links between exercise and the production of free radicals, molecules associated with oxidative stress in horses.
  • Specifically, KRL values were higher before taming and at 60 days of taming compared to the training and racing periods. This result implies that the horses’ level of antioxidants was higher during early taming stages, and subsequently decreased as their training and racing intensity increased.
  • In addition, the research found that the horses’ total protein value was affected by the training program, indicating a possible connection between physical exertion and biochemical changes in the horses’ bodies.
  • Notably, the study found no effects of training intensity on muscle enzymes, suggesting that the antioxidant imbalance city attributed to exercise is not due to direct muscle damage.
  • The results confirm the Kit Radicaux Libres (KRL) test’s validity in determining oxidative stress in athletic horses. Hence, this tool could help guide training programs to minimize harm and optimize performance in equine athletes.

Cite This Article

APA
Rossi R, Lo Feudo CM, Zucca E, Vizzarri F, Corino C, Ferrucci F. (2021). Innovative Blood Antioxidant Test in Standardbred Trotter Horses. Antioxidants (Basel), 10(12), 2013. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox10122013

Publication

Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
ISSN: 2076-3921
NlmUniqueID: 101668981
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 10
Issue: 12
PII: 2013

Researcher Affiliations

Rossi, Raffaella
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Dell'Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy.
Lo Feudo, Chiara Maria
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Dell'Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy.
Zucca, Enrica
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Dell'Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy.
Vizzarri, Francesco
  • Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via G. Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy.
Corino, Carlo
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Dell'Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy.
Ferrucci, Francesco
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Dell'Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Lo Feudo CM, Stucchi L, Conturba B, Stancari G, Ferrucci F. Impact of Lower Airway Inflammation on Fitness Parameters in Standardbred Racehorses. Animals (Basel) 2022 Nov 21;12(22).
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  2. Nefzi K, BenSouf I, Saidani M, Darej C, Bejaoui B, Ben Larbi M, M'Hamdi N, Lequart V, Joly N, Martin P. Green-synthesized natural antioxidants in poultry and livestock feed: enhancing oxidative stability and animal welfare. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1720052.
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  3. Wang J, Ren W, Li Z, Ma S, Li L, Wang R, Zeng Y, Meng J, Yao X. Blood-Based Whole-Genome Methylation Analysis of Yili Horses Pre- and Post-Racing. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jan 24;15(3).
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