Tegaserod (HTF 919) stimulates gut motility in normal horses.

The research article investigates the effects of Tegaserod on the gut motility and transit of spheres in healthy horses, while suggesting it might have potential therapeutic benefits for horses suffering from impaction or paralytic ileus.

Objectives and Methods

• This study sought to understand the impact of Tegaserod, a selective 5-HT4 receptor agonist, on the gut motility and transit of spheres in healthy horses.
• Six mature horses of the Freiberger breed were kept under standardized conditions. A cross-over design of experimentation was implemented to assess the effects of Tegaserod, administered intravenously twice a day for two days, as compared to a vehicle solution.
• To monitor intestinal transit, barium-filled spheres were introduced into the horses via a stomach tube before the initial dosing was administered. Faecal samples were collected every three hours, and the radiological identification of spheres eliminated were recorded.

Results

• The experiment showed that Tegaserod significantly increased the speed of gastrointestinal (GI) transit time of spheres as compared to the control group.
• The frequency of defecation increased significantly in the horses administered with Tegaserod, as well as the manifestations of gut sounds, indicating increased gut activity.
• The application of Tegaserod was well-tolerated, with no observed effects on the horses’ behaviour, body temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, or clinical laboratory data.

Conclusions

• Given the results, the researchers concluded that Tegaserod effectively stimulated motility and accelerated the GI transit in healthy horses, making it potentially beneficial as a remedy for gut impaction or paralytic ileus in horses.