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The effects of famotidine, ranitidine and magnesium hydroxide/aluminium hydroxide on gastric fluid pH in adult horses.
Abstract: Gastric fluid pH was measured in five adult horses following nasogastric administration of famotidine, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg/kg bodyweight (bwt); ranitidine, 4.4 and 6.6 mg/kg bwt and an antacid containing magnesium hydroxide (40 mg/ml) and aluminium hydroxide (45 mg/ml), 120 and 180 ml. Fluid was aspirated through a 16 French nasogastric feeding tube at 15 min intervals, and pH was measured using a pH meter. Basal gastric fluid pH was measured at 20 min intervals for 6 h in each horse and, with the exception of two measurements of 4.66 and 4.17, ranged from 1.42 to 2.41, with a mean pH of 1.88 +/- 0.18. The response to both ranitidine and famotidine was variable between horses and between dosages. The mean gastric fluid pH values following administration of a single dose of famotidine or ranitidine were famotidine, 0.5 mg/kg bwt, 3.63 +/- 1.72; famotidine, 1.0 mg/kg bwt, 3.41 +/- 1.40; famotidine, 2.0 mg/kg bwt, 4.18 +/- 2.06; ranitidine, 4.4 mg/kg bwt, 4.07 +/- 1.25; ranitidine 6.6 mg/kg bwt, 5.34 +/- 1.12. Differences in mean gastric fluid pH between famotidine dose levels and between ranitidine dose levels were not significant (P > 0.10). Gastric fluid pH increased to greater than 6 in three horses receiving 0.5 mg/kg bwt, five horses receiving 1.0 mg/kg bwt and three horses receiving 2.0 mg/kg bwt famotidine. Gastric fluid pH increased to greater than 6 in each of the five horses receiving 6.6 mg/kg bwt ranitidine and in four of five horses receiving 4.4 mg/kg bwt ranitidine. During the 6 h post administration, ranitidine tended to increase gastric fluid pH greater than 6 longer (166 +/- 106 mins) than famotidine (98 +/- 110 mins) and this difference was nearly significant (P = 0.054). The response to antacid was variable and consistently short-lived. The mean gastric fluid pH values for 6 h after administration of 120 ml or 180 ml were 2.42 +/- 0.71 and 2.44 +/- 0.47, respectively. Gastric fluid pH increased to greater than 6 in only two horses, for 15 and 30 mins, respectively. The increase in gastric fluid pH was significantly greater for ranitidine (P < 0.001) and famotidine (P < 0.02) than for antacid. The duration of the effect was significantly longer for ranitidine doses (P < 0.001) and nearly so for famotidine doses (P < 0.055) than for antacid.
Publication Date: 1992-02-01 PubMed ID: 9109961DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1992.tb04773.xGoogle 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.
- Clinical Trial
- Comparative Study
- Controlled Clinical Trial
- Journal Article
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.
The study investigates the impact of three different gastric medications – famotidine, ranitidine, and a magnesium hydroxide/aluminium hydroxide antacid – on the acidity of gastric fluid in adult horses, by measuring the pH levels in their stomachs.
Methods and Materials
The research was conducted on five adult horses, each given different doses of the three medications via a nasogastric tube. The drugs administered were:
- Famotidine at doses of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg/kg body weight.
- Ranitidine at doses of 4.4 and 6.6 mg/kg body weight.
- Antacid containing magnesium hydroxide and aluminium hydroxide, at volumes of 120 and 180 ml.
Closely following the administration of the medications, gastric fluid was aspirated from the horses at 15-minute intervals and its pH was measured, providing information about the level of acidity within the horse’s stomach.
Basal Gastric Fluid pH
Prior to administering the treatments, the horses were observed for six hours each under normal conditions, and the pH of the gastric fluid was measured regularly. The average basal gastric pH (a measure of acidity prior to any treatment) was around 1.88, implying high acidity, with only two outlier measurements.
Medications and pH Changes
The horses responded variably to both famotidine and ranitidine. With minor differences, the recorded pH levels reflected a decrease in acidity after a single dose of both famotidine and ranitidine. However, the variations between different dosages were not statistically significant. In addition, gastric fluid pH increased to greater than 6 (less acidic) in some horses from each group. Among all horses, ranitidine showed a tendency to maintain a pH above 6 for longer than famotidine, though the difference was marginal.
Response to Antacid
The response to the antacid was inconsistent and transient. There was only a minor increase in pH after both 120 ml and 180 ml doses, and the pH rose to greater than 6 in just two horses, but only briefly.
Conclusions
From the results, it was observed that the increase in gastric fluid pH was significantly greater for ranitidine, and to a lesser extent famotidine, than for the antacid. Correspondingly, the duration of the effect was observed to be significantly longer for ranitidine dosages than for the antacid. Besides, famotidine also showed a trend towards a longer duration, though not statistically significant. This suggests that ranitidine and famotidine might be more effective than the antacid studied in managing gastric acidity in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Murray MJ, Grodinsky C.
(1992).
The effects of famotidine, ranitidine and magnesium hydroxide/aluminium hydroxide on gastric fluid pH in adult horses.
Equine Vet J Suppl(11), 52-55.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1992.tb04773.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Leesburg 22075, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Aluminum Hydroxide / administration & dosage
- Aluminum Hydroxide / pharmacology
- Animals
- Antacids / administration & dosage
- Antacids / pharmacology
- Anti-Ulcer Agents / administration & dosage
- Anti-Ulcer Agents / pharmacology
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
- Famotidine / administration & dosage
- Famotidine / pharmacology
- Female
- Gastric Juice / chemistry
- Gastric Juice / drug effects
- Horses / metabolism
- Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
- Intubation, Gastrointestinal / veterinary
- Magnesium Hydroxide / administration & dosage
- Magnesium Hydroxide / pharmacology
- Male
- Ranitidine / administration & dosage
- Ranitidine / pharmacology
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Vokes J, Lovett A, Sykes B. Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome: An Update on Current Knowledge. Animals (Basel) 2023 Apr 5;13(7).
- Hewetson M, Tallon R. Equine Squamous Gastric Disease: Prevalence, Impact and Management. Vet Med (Auckl) 2021;12:381-399.
- Sykes BW, Hewetson M, Hepburn RJ, Luthersson N, Tamzali Y. European College of Equine Internal Medicine Consensus Statement--Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome in Adult Horses. J Vet Intern Med 2015 Sep-Oct;29(5):1288-99.
- Doucet MY, Vrins AA, Dionne R, Alva R, Ericsson G. Efficacy of a paste formulation of omeprazole for the treatment of naturally occurring gastric ulcers in training standardbred racehorses in Canada. Can Vet J 2003 Jul;44(7):581-5.
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