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Home / Equine Research Bank / Toxins (Basel) / Milk thistle extract and silymarin inhibit lipopolysaccharid...
Toxins2014; 6(10); 2962-2974; doi: 10.3390/toxins6102962

Milk thistle extract and silymarin inhibit lipopolysaccharide induced lamellar separation of hoof explants in vitro.

Abstract: The pathogenesis of laminitis is not completely identified and the role of endotoxins (lipopolysaccharides, LPS) in this process remains unclear. Phytogenic substances, like milk thistle (MT) and silymarin, are known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and might therefore have the potential to counteract endotoxin induced effects on the hoof lamellar tissue. The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of endotoxins on lamellar tissue integrity and to test if MT and silymarin are capable of inhibiting LPS-induced effects in an in vitro/ex vivo model. In preliminary tests, LPS neutralization efficiency of these phytogenics was determined in an in vitro neutralization assay. Furthermore, tissue explants gained from hooves of slaughter horses were tested for lamellar separation after incubation with different concentrations of LPS. By combined incubation of explants with LPS and either Polymyxin B (PMB; positive control), MT or silymarin, the influence of these substances on LPS-induced effects was assessed. In the in vitro neutralization assay, MT and silymarin reduced LPS concentrations by 64% and 75%, respectively, in comparison PMB reduced 98% of the LPS concentration. In hoof explants, LPS led to a concentration dependent separation. Accordantly, separation force was significantly decreased by 10 µg/mL LPS. PMB, MT and silymarin could significantly improve tissue integrity of explants incubated with 10 µg/mL LPS. This study showed that LPS had a negative influence on the structure of hoof explants in vitro. MT and silymarin reduced endotoxin activity and inhibited LPS-induced effects on the lamellar tissue. Hence, MT and silymarin might be used to support the prevention of laminitis and should be further evaluated for this application.
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Publication Date: 2014-10-06 PubMed ID: 25290524PubMed Central: PMC4210879DOI: 10.3390/toxins6102962Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

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 evaluated how milk thistle and silymarin can reduce the damaging effects of endotoxins on horse hoof tissue, demonstrating that both substances might be effective in supporting the prevention of laminitis, a painful and often debilitating condition in horses.

Research Aim

The main purpose of the study was to investigate how endotoxins impact the integrity of lamellar tissue in a horse’s hoof, as well as to examine if milk thistle (MT) and silymarin can counteract these negative effects. This was examined in a laboratory setting with tissue samples from horses’ hooves.

Methods

  • To determine the ability of MT and silymarin to neutralize endotoxins, an in vitro neutralization assay was conducted. Additionally, various concentrations of endotoxins were applied to hoof tissue to observe the impact on the lamellar tissue.
  • The researchers also tested how well these substances could counteract the effects of endotoxins by combining them during incubation with the lamellar tissue sample and endotoxins. Polymyxin B (PMB), an antibiotic, was used as a positive control in this experiment.

Findings

  • The in vitro neutralization assay showed that MT and silymarin were effective at reducing endotoxin concentrations by 64% and 75%, respectively, while PMB reduced these concentrations by 98%.
  • When endotoxins were applied to hoof tissue explants, they caused a concentration-dependent separation of the lamellar tissue. This effect significantly decreased when tissue explants were incubated with 10 µg/mL of endotoxins and either PMB, MT, or silymarin—indicating these substances improved the tissue integrity.

Implications

  • The results of this research suggest that both MT and silymarin can inhibit the damaging effects of endotoxins on the lamellar hoof tissue of horses.
  • This offers promising potential for these substances to be used in the prevention of laminitis but further research is needed to fully evaluate their effectiveness in this application.

Cite This Article

APA
Reisinger N, Schaumberger S, Nagl V, Hessenberger S, Schatzmayr G. (2014). Milk thistle extract and silymarin inhibit lipopolysaccharide induced lamellar separation of hoof explants in vitro. Toxins (Basel), 6(10), 2962-2974. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins6102962

Publication

Toxins
ISSN: 2072-6651
NlmUniqueID: 101530765
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 6
Issue: 10
Pages: 2962-2974

Researcher Affiliations

Reisinger, Nicole
  • Biomin Research Center, Technopark 1, Tulln 3430, Austria. nicole.reisinger@biomin.net.
Schaumberger, Simone
  • Biomin Research Center, Technopark 1, Tulln 3430, Austria. simone.schaumberger@biomin.net.
Nagl, Veronika
  • Center for Analytical Chemistry, Department for Agrobiotechnology (IFA Tulln), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Tulln (BOKU), Konrad Lorenz Str. 20, Tulln 3430, Austria. veronika.nagl@boku.ac.at.
Hessenberger, Sabine
  • Biomin Research Center, Technopark 1, Tulln 3430, Austria. sabine.hessenberger@biomin.net.
Schatzmayr, Gerd
  • Biomin Research Center, Technopark 1, Tulln 3430, Austria. gerd.schatzmayr@biomin.net.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Endotoxins / toxicity
  • Hoof and Claw / drug effects
  • Hoof and Claw / pathology
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Lipopolysaccharides / toxicity
  • Silybum marianum / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Silymarin / pharmacology

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