The efficacy of psyllium combined with aloe vera in treating sand accumulation in equine intestines.

Study Design

• Fourteen Arabian horses diagnosed with naturally occurring sand accumulation were enrolled in the study.
• Horses were randomly divided into two equal groups:
  • Psyllium group (PG) receiving psyllium alone (n=7)
  • Psyllium & Aloe vera group (PAG) receiving both psyllium and aloe vera (n=7)
• Treatments were administered daily for 7 consecutive days.
• Efficacy evaluation included:
  • Daily fecal sand analysis using sedimentation tests to quantify sand excretion.
  • Hematological assessments on days 0 (before treatment) and 14 (one week after treatment ended) to monitor inflammation and immune response.

Key Findings on Inflammatory and Immune Responses

• White Blood Cell (WBC) Count:
  • In the psyllium-only group (PG), WBC count significantly dropped from 9.1 ± 0.36 to 6.2 ± 0.047 ×10⁹/L by day 14, indicating reduced inflammation.
  • In the combined treatment group (PAG), WBC count decreased more markedly from 7.8 to 5.3 ± 0.33 ×10⁹/L, showing a stronger immunomodulatory effect.
• Neutrophil Percentage (a type of immune cell often elevated during inflammation):
  • PG showed a consistently high neutrophil percentage during treatment (71.5% and 69% in weeks 1 and 2 respectively), suggesting ongoing inflammatory activity.
  • PAG demonstrated a decrease in neutrophil percentage during treatment (45.7% and 50.1% in weeks 1 and 2), which may reflect reduced inflammation or a modulated immune response.

Sand Excretion Patterns

• Psyllium Group (PG):
  • Sand proportion in excreted feces fluctuated, peaking on day 5 at 8.86% and reducing to 4.71% by day 7.
• Psyllium & Aloe Vera Group (PAG):
  • Started with a sand concentration of 5.43% in feces.
  • Sand excretion peaked earlier on day 1 at 7.14% and generally declined thereafter.
  • The lowest sand concentration recorded was 2.28% on day 6.
  • Overall, PAG exhibited a lower average sand excretion through the treatment week compared to PG.

Conclusions and Implications

• The combination of psyllium and aloe vera appears more effective in modulating the immune response during sand accumulation treatment compared to psyllium alone.
• This treatment resulted in a more controlled inflammatory profile, evidenced by lower neutrophil percentages and greater reductions in WBC counts.
• The sand excretion pattern in the combination group suggests a steadier and potentially more thorough clearance of sand from the intestines.
• Incorporating aloe vera with psyllium could offer a superior therapeutic approach for sandy enteropathy in horses by not only physically aiding sand elimination but also reducing gut inflammation.
• Further studies with larger cohorts and longer follow-up may help confirm benefits and understand mechanisms behind aloe vera’s immunomodulatory role in this context.