Pharmacodynamic evaluation of the peripheral pain inhibition by carprofen and flunixin in the horse.
Carprofen, flunixin meglumine and placebo in the form of a physiological solution of sodium chloride were tested in an open randomised cross-over trial for analgesic efficacy in horses with two external skin-stimulation systems. Both systems, the withers model and the "heating element" model, were compared in order to find an optimal way to measure pain perception after stimulating the skin with high temperature. No analgesic effect of flunixin or carprofen could be demonstrated when using the withers model. In the "heating element" model, a 1.1 mg/kg i.v. dose of flunixin meglumine failed to inhibit the peripheral pain, while it could be shown that a 0.7 mg/kg i.v. dose of carprofen inhibited the peripheral perception of pain in horses for approximately 24 hours after the drug injection. To induce an analgesic effect with carprofen, its plasma concentration had to be at least 1.5 micrograms/ml.
Schatzmann
U
U
Klinik für Nutztiere und Pferde, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Berne, Switzerland.
Gugelmann
M
M
Von Cranach
J
J
Ludwig
B M
BM
Rehm
W F
WF
D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003002:Clonixin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006736:Horses; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D002227:Carbazoles; C014558:flunixin meglumine; C007005:carprofen; D003002:Clonixin