Safety and efficacy of subcutaneous alpha-tocopherol in healthy adult horses.
Abstract: Vitamin E is essential for neuromuscular function. The primary treatment, oral supplementation with natural ('RRR') α-tocopherol, is not effective in all horses. The objectives of this pilot study were to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a subcutaneously administered RRR-α-tocopherol preparation. Horses were randomly assigned in a cross-over design to initially receive RRR-α-tocopherol (5000 IU/450 kg of 600 IU/mL) subcutaneously (n = 3) or orally (n = 3) or were untreated sentinels (n = 2). Tissue reactions following injection in Phase I of the study necessitated adjustment of the preparation with reduction of the RRR-α-tocopherol concentration to 500 IU/mL in Phase 2. Following an 8-week washout period, horses received the reciprocal treatment route with the new preparation (5000 IU/450 kg of 500 IU/mL). Serum, CSF and muscle α-tocopherol concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography over a 14-day period during each phase. Serum and CSF α-tocopherol concentrations increased significantly postinjection only when the 500 IU/mL product was administered (P<0.0001). There was no significant difference in the muscle concentration of α-tocopherol following either treatment. All eight horses had marked tissue reaction to subcutaneous injection, regardless of product concentration. Whilst we have demonstrated that this route may be a useful alternative to oral supplementation, the marked tissue reaction makes use of such products limited at this time to only the most refractory of cases.
Publication Date: 2020-06-04 PubMed ID: 34326575PubMed Central: PMC8315600DOI: 10.1111/eve.13308Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research article discusses a pilot study conducted to observe the safety and effectiveness of subcutaneous administration of RRR-α-tocopherol, a naturally sourced form of Vitamin E, to healthy adult horses. The study was initiated because oral supplementation of this vitamin doesn’t seem to work effectively for all equines, necessitating the exploration of other options.
Research Methodology:
- Healthy adult horses were randomly assigned to groups, with three receiving subcutaneous injections of RRR-α-tocopherol, three given the same vitamin orally, and two untreated as control or “sentinel” horses.
- Researchers noticed tissue reactions after injection in the first phase of the study, which led them to readjust the preparation by reducing the RRR-α-tocopherol concentration to 500IU/mL in the second phase.
- An 8-week washout period followed, after which horses received the opposite treatment route (those initially subcutaneously injected received oral supplement and vice versa) with the new preparation.
- Over a 14-day period during each phase, concentrations of α-tocopherol in horse serum, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and muscle were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
Findings and Conclusion:
- Serum and CSF α-tocopherol concentrations increased significantly post-injection, but this was only when the 500 IU/mL product was administered.
- There was no significant difference in muscle α-tocopherol concentrations following either type of treatment (oral or injected).
- Notably, all eight horses experienced a distinct tissue reaction to the subcutaneous injection, regardless of the product concentration used.
- The findings highlight that while the subcutaneous administration route of RRR-α-tocopherol may be a useful alternative to oral supplementation, the pronounced tissue reactions impose a limitation on the use of such products to only the most refractory of cases.
Cite This Article
APA
Donnelly CG, Burns E, Easton-Jones CA, Katzman S, Stuart R, Cook SE, Finno CJ.
(2020).
Safety and efficacy of subcutaneous alpha-tocopherol in healthy adult horses.
Equine Vet Educ, 33(4), 215-219.
https://doi.org/10.1111/eve.13308 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.
- Morris Animal Foundation, Denver, Colorado.
- Rossdales Equine Hospital, Exning, UK.
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California: Davis, Davis.
- Stuart Products Inc, Bedford, Texas.
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California: Davis, Davis, USA.
- William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction.
Grant Funding
- L40 TR001136 / NCATS NIH HHS
Conflict of Interest Statement
Authors’ declaration of interests R. Stuart is the director and owner of Stuart Products which produces nutritional products.
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Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Kahn SK, Cywes-Bentley C, Blodgett GP, Canaday NM, Turner-Garcia CE, Vinacur M, Cortez-Ramirez SC, Sutter PJ, Meyer SC, Bordin AI, Vlock DR, Pier GB, Cohen ND. Antibody activities in hyperimmune plasma against the Rhodococcus equi virulence -associated protein A or poly-N-acetyl glucosamine are associated with protection of foals against rhodococcal pneumonia. PLoS One 2021;16(8):e0250133.
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