title: An analgesic evaluation of isoxsuprine in horses.
abstract: Isoxsuprine is used clinically to treat navicular disease and laminitis in horses. Although it is thought to increase digital and laminar blood flow, isoxsuprine's mechanism of action remains controversial, and analgesia has been suggested recently as such possible mechanism. This research investigated the analgesic potential of isoxsuprine in healthy horses submitted to a mechanical nociceptive test. Isoxsuprine (1.2 mg/kg), xylazine (1.1 mg/kg), distilled water : ethanol 95% (2 : 1, v/v, 20 ml) and saline (0.9%, 20 ml) were injected intravenously, and nociceptive thresholds were measured over 90 min. Only xylazine significantly increased nociceptive thresholds, confirming that alpha(2)-adrenoceptor agonists produce analgesia in horses. Our results do not support an analgesic mechanism of action for isoxsuprine in horses, suggesting that other mechanisms might account for the clinical efficacy of this drug or that mechanical nociceptive testing may not be sufficiently sensitive to demonstrate an analgesic effect for this drug.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Av. Universidad 3000, Mexico City 04510, Mexico.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lizarraga
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Castillo
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Valderrama
mesh_terms: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000698:Analgesia / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D006736:Horses / Q000502:physiology*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous / Q000662:veterinary; D007556:Isoxsuprine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D007556:Isoxsuprine