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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / The efficacy of N-acetylcysteine in decreasing airway inflam...
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2024; doi: 10.1111/jvim.16976

The efficacy of N-acetylcysteine in decreasing airway inflammation and mucus accumulation in horses with 18 hours of head confinement.

Abstract: During transportation many horses develop post-transportation infection, which can be life-threatening and end their sport career. Preventing mucus accumulation and inflammation during transportation is vital, emphasizing the need for effective strategies to enhance overall horse health welfare. Objective: Assess the impact of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on mucus accumulation and inflammation in horses subjected to 18 hours of head confinement. Methods: Six healthy crossbred horses, 5.3 ± 2.1 years of age and weighing 387 ± 30 kg. Methods: Prospective placebo-controlled cross-over design study. The horses' heads were restrained in their stalls for a period of 18 hours. They were studied under 4 conditions: Not confined (NC): before head confinement, placebo (P), and confined head (CH): 18 hours of head confinement without treatment, and N-Acetylcysteine (NAC): 18 hours of head confinement treated with NAC before confinement (15 mg/kg/day NAC PO for 3 days). Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed in each condition. Mucus accumulation along the trachea was evaluated by endoscopy. Results: Endoscopic scores were significantly different between CH and other conditions, whereas no significant differences were found among NC, P, and NAC. The BAL cell count (34 291 ± 2624 cells/μL), neutrophil and lymphocyte count (18 601 ± 3193 cells/μL and 3337.4 ± 593 cells/μL, respectively) in CH were significantly higher compared to NAC. Neutrophil percentage was significantly higher in CH (53.8 ± 8%) compared to horses that received NAC (20.08 ± 8%). Conversely, in comparison to NAC (66.33 ± 9%), the percentage of macrophages was significantly lower in CH (35.7 ± 10%). Conclusions: N-acetylcysteine was found to significantly decrease mucus accumulation and inflammatory cell counts in horses with head confinement.
© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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Publication Date: 2024-01-18 PubMed ID: 38236790DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16976Google Scholar: Lookup
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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 research explored the effectiveness of a substance called N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in reducing mucus build-up and inflammation in horses held under head confinement for 18 hours. Such conditions often exist during horse transportation and can lead to post-transport infections, potentially jeopardising the health and careers of sport horses.

Methodology

  • Six healthy crossbred horses, aged around 5.3 years and averaging 387 kg, participated in a prospective placebo-controlled crossover study.
  • The horses’ heads were confined in their stalls for 18 hours during which they were studied under four conditions: no confinement (NC), placebo (P), confinement with no treatment (CH), and confinement with NAC treatment (15 mg/kg/day for 3 days before confinement).
  • A procedure called a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed in each condition, and mucus along the trachea was evaluated by endoscopy.

Results

  • Endoscopic results showed significant differences between CH and the other three conditions. However, no significant differences were depicted among NC, P, and NAC groups.
  • BAL cell counts, neutrophil and lymphocyte counts, were considerably higher in the CH group compared to the NAC group.
  • Neutrophil percentage was also significantly higher in CH compared to horses treated with NAC.
  • Inversely, the percentage of macrophages, an essential cell type in the immune response, was noticeably lower in CH compared to the NAC treated horses.

Conclusion

  • The study concluded that N-acetylcysteine significantly decreased mucus accumulation and inflammatory cell counts in horses held under head confinement.
  • This suggests that NAC could be a beneficial treatment in improving horse welfare during transportation or other scenarios involving extended head confinement.

Cite This Article

APA
Tavanaeimanesh H, Alinia Z, Sadeghian Chaleshtori S, Moosavian H, Mohebi Z, Daneshi M. (2024). The efficacy of N-acetylcysteine in decreasing airway inflammation and mucus accumulation in horses with 18 hours of head confinement. J Vet Intern Med. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16976

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Tavanaeimanesh, Hamid
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Alinia, Zahra
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Sadeghian Chaleshtori, Sirous
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Moosavian, Hamidreza
  • Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Mohebi, Zeinab
  • Faculty of Pharmacy, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
Daneshi, Mojtaba
  • Department of Animal Science, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, USA.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Rösch S, Oechtering GU. Primary and Secondary Sinonasal Aspergillosis in Dogs. Animals (Basel) 2025 Oct 1;15(19).
    doi: 10.3390/ani15192880pubmed: 41096475google scholar: lookup
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