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N-butylscopolammonium bromide causes fewer side effects than atropine when assessing bronchoconstriction reversibility in horses with heaves.
Abstract: Bronchospasm results in airway obstruction in horses with heaves. Atropine is the most potent bronchodilator drug currently available for horses, but is associated with side effects that limit its use. Like atropine, N-butylscopolammonium bromide (NBB) is an anticholinergic agent with bronchodilatory properties. Objective: To compare the bronchodilating effects and side effects of atropine and NBB in horses with heaves. Methods: Cross-over experiment using horses with heaves. Methods: Eight horses with heaves were administered atropine and NBB, using a cross-over design. Heart rate, pupillary dilatation, transrectal palpation, lung mechanics (maximal changes in transpulmonary pressure, pulmonary resistance and elastance) and arterial blood gases were assessed before and 10 and 30 min after drug administration. Results: One horse treated with atropine developed colic. Significant pupillary dilatation was observed only with atropine. Tachycardia developed in all horses, but was more marked with atropine. Lung function improved with both drugs, but elastance values had returned to baseline at 30 min with NBB. There was no improvement in arterial hypoxaemia with either drug. Conclusions: The study indicated that the bronchodilatory properties of NBB were not statistically different from those of atropine, but were of shorter duration. N-butylscopolammonium bromide was associated with fewer systemic side effects, and therefore NBB should be preferred over atropine when assessing the reversibility of airway obstruction in horses.
© 2014 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2014-02-25 PubMed ID: 24423012DOI: 10.1111/evj.12229Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Adverse Effects
- Atropine
- Bronchodilation
- Clinical Findings
- Clinical Pathology
- Clinical Study
- Comparative Study
- Diagnosis
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Treatment
- Drug
- Equine Health
- Heart Rate
- Horses
- Lung Health
- Pharmacodynamics
- Pharmacology
- Recurrent Airway Obstruction
- Respiratory Disease
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
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 study suggests that N-butylscopolammonium bromide (NBB) may be a better choice than atropine for treating airway obstruction in horses with heaves, due to fewer side effects and similar bronchodilating effects.
Research Aim and Method
The focus of this research was to compare the side effects and bronchodilating effectiveness of two anticholinergic agent drugs: atropine, and N-butylscopolammonium bromide (NBB). This was done using a cross-over experiment involving eight horses suffering from heaves. Both drugs were administered to the horses, and variables like heart rate, pupillary dilation, and lung mechanics were assessed before, 10 minutes after, and 30 minutes after drug administration.
Observations and Results
- One horse that was treated with atropine developed colic.
- Significant pupillary dilation was observed only in horses treated with atropine.
- Heart rate increased in all horses, but more so with the ones treated with atropine.
- Lung function improved with both drugs, however, with NBB, elastance values returned to baseline after 30 minutes.
- Neither of the drugs resulted in an improvement in arterial hypoxemia.
Conclusion
While both NBB and atropine deliver similar bronchodilating effects, atropine was linked with more side effects such as colic and greater pupillary dilation. This makes NBB a preferred choice when evaluating the reversibility of airway obstruction in horses. Despite this, it’s important to note that the bronchodilating effects of NBB were shorter in duration, returning to baseline elastance values after 30 minutes. The study did not find any improvements in the arterial hypoxemia with either drug. The findings help in understanding more effective treatment options for bronchoconstriction in horses with heaves.
Cite This Article
APA
de Lagarde M, Rodrigues N, Chevigny M, Beauchamp G, Albrecht B, Lavoie JP.
(2014).
N-butylscopolammonium bromide causes fewer side effects than atropine when assessing bronchoconstriction reversibility in horses with heaves.
Equine Vet J, 46(4), 474-478.
https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12229 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Q, Canada.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Atropine / adverse effects
- Atropine / therapeutic use
- Bronchoconstriction / drug effects
- Butylscopolammonium Bromide / adverse effects
- Butylscopolammonium Bromide / therapeutic use
- Cross-Over Studies
- Female
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horses
- Lung Diseases, Obstructive / drug therapy
- Lung Diseases, Obstructive / veterinary
- Male
- Parasympatholytics / adverse effects
- Parasympatholytics / therapeutic use
Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- Ström L, Dalin F, Domberg M, Stenlund C, Bondesson U, Hedeland M, Toutain PL, Ekstrand C. Topical ophthalmic atropine in horses, pharmacokinetics and effect on intestinal motility. BMC Vet Res 2021 Apr 7;17(1):149.
- Bhattacharjee A, Chaudhuri R, Dash JJ, Saha M, Choudhury L, Roy S. Pre-treatment with Scopolamine Naturally Suppresses Japanese Encephalitis Viral Load in Embryonated Chick Through Regulation of Multiple Signaling Pathways. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2021 Jun;193(6):1654-1674.
- Leclere M, Costa MC. Fecal microbiota in horses with asthma. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Mar;34(2):996-1006.
- Lavoie JP, Bullone M, Rodrigues N, Germim P, Albrecht B, von Salis-Soglio M. Effect of different doses of inhaled ciclesonide on lung function, clinical signs related to airflow limitation and serum cortisol levels in horses with experimentally induced mild to severe airway obstruction. Equine Vet J 2019 Nov;51(6):779-786.
- Ivester KM, Couëtil LL, Zimmerman NJ. Investigating the link between particulate exposure and airway inflammation in the horse. J Vet Intern Med 2014 Nov-Dec;28(6):1653-65.
- Park T, Hong S, Murray L, Lee J, Shah A, Mesa JC, Lee H, Couetil L, Lee CH. Wearable smart textile band for continuous equine health monitoring. Biosens Bioelectron 2026 Jan 15;292:118073.
- Dufourni A, Demeyere M, Vernemmen I, Van Steenkiste G, Verhaeghe LM, van Loon G, Decloedt A. Effect of N-Butylscopolammonium Bromide and Metamizol Sodium on Heart Rate, Blood Pressure, and Echocardiographic Measurements in Warmblood Horses With Aortic and Mitral Valve Regurgitation. J Vet Intern Med 2025 Nov-Dec;39(6):e70254.
- Mozo Vives B, Mainguy-Seers S, Lavoie JP. Comparative study of the bronchodilator efficacy and adverse effects of salbutamol and hyoscine butylbromide in horses with severe asthma. J Vet Intern Med 2024 May-Jun;38(3):1835-1841.
- Dufourni A, Buschmann E, Vernemmen I, Van Steenkiste G, van Loon G, Decloedt A. Effect of physiological and pharmacological stress on heart rate, blood pressure, and echocardiographic measurements in healthy Warmblood horses. J Vet Intern Med 2024 Jan-Feb;38(1):398-410.
- Leduc L, Leclère M, Gauthier LG, Marcil O, Lavoie JP. Severe asthma in horses is associated with increased airway innervation. J Vet Intern Med 2024 Jan-Feb;38(1):485-494.
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