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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2025; 15(14); 2120; doi: 10.3390/ani15142120

Sources of Environmental Exposure to the Naturally Occurring Anabolic Steroid Ecdysterone in Horses.

Abstract: Ecdysterone controls moulting and reproduction in insects, crustaceans, and helminths. It is also produced by many plants, probably as an insect deterrent. The steroid is not made by vertebrates but has anabolic effects in mammals and could be useful for treating sarcopenia in aged horses. However, ecdysterone is banned in horseracing and equestrian sports, and with no limit of reporting, the risk of unintended exposure to this naturally occurring prohibited substance is a concern. To explore this risk, pasture plants and hay samples were analysed for ecdysterone content, as well as samples of blood, faeces, and intestinal mucosa from horses (euthanized for non-research purposes) with varying degrees of endo-parasite infestation. The variability in serum ecdysterone concentrations between different horses after administering a fixed dose was also examined. Ecdysterone was detected in 24 hay samples (0.09 to 3.74 µg/g) and several weeds, with particularly high concentrations in (244 µg/g) and (233 µg/g). There was a positive correlation between faecal ecdysterone and faecal egg counts, but no effect of anthelmintic treatment and no relation to the number of encysted cyathostome larvae in the large intestine mucosa. Certain horses maintained an unusually high serum ecdysterone concentration over several weeks and/or displayed an abnormally large response to oral ecdysterone administration. Thus, the risk of environmental exposure to ecdysterone is apparent, and several factors must be considered when determining an appropriate dosage for clinical studies or setting a reporting threshold for equine sports.
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Publication Date: 2025-07-17 PubMed ID: 40723581PubMed Central: PMC12291838DOI: 10.3390/ani15142120Google Scholar: Lookup
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Cite This Article

APA
Sillence MN, Holt K, Li FI, Harris PA, Coyle M, Fitzgerald DM. (2025). Sources of Environmental Exposure to the Naturally Occurring Anabolic Steroid Ecdysterone in Horses. Animals (Basel), 15(14), 2120. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15142120

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 15
Issue: 14
PII: 2120

Researcher Affiliations

Sillence, Martin N
  • School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia.
Holt, Kathi
  • School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia.
Li, Fang Ivy
  • School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia.
Harris, Patricia A
  • Equine Studies Group, Waltham Petcare Science Institute, Melton Mowbray LE14 4RT, UK.
Coyle, Mitchell
  • School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
Fitzgerald, Danielle M
  • School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.

Grant Funding

  • 1 / CSRD VA

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

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