Some commonly fed herbs and other functional foods in equine nutrition: a review.

The research article investigates the effects of commonly given herbs and other functional foods in equine nutrition, noting the lack of scientific study on their influences on horses. This article specifically reviews the impacts of Echinacea, garlic, ginger, ginseng, and yucca, highlighting potential benefits and risks of these natural supplements.

Overview of Herbal Supplementation in Equine Nutrition

• The authors first discuss the lack of scientific research conducted on the effect of herbs and other functional foods on horses’ health and performance. Despite their popular use in equine diets, there’s a significant gap in understanding the exact benefits, dosage, and potential risks associated with various supplements.

Specific Herbs and their Effects

• Ginseng stands out due to its noticeable inhibitory effect on pro-inflammatory cytokines and cyclooxygenase-2 expression, which makes it a valuable supplement for its potential anti-inflammatory properties.
• Research on ginger demonstrates anti-inflammatory effects when administered post-exercise to horses.
• Echinacea also exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, improving overall health and wellness in equines.
• The authors highlight Yucca for the presence of steroid-like saponins, which are key in potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-spasmodic effects.

Risks Associated with Herbal Supplements

• However, the study shows that there are also potential downsides and risks with the use of herbs. Some, such as garlic, when consumed over a certain limit (in this case >0.2g/kg per day) can lead to Heinz body anemia in horses, proving harmful over beneficial.
• Additionally, it’s asserted that some herbs can contain prohibited substances like salicylates, digitalis, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, which can have severe repercussions if unidentified.

Concluding Observations and Recommendations

• The researchers finally underscore the commonality of drug-herb interactions that caution the use of ‘natural products’, demonstrating the need for further research in the area to ensure safe and effective use of such supplements in equine diets.