Evaluation of inflammatory responses induced via intra-articular injection of interleukin-1 in horses receiving a dietary nutraceutical and assessment of the clinical effects of long-term nutraceutical administration.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate inflammatory responses induced via intra-articular recombinant human interleukin (IL)-1beta treatment in horses receiving a dietary nutraceutical (DN; composed of mussel, shark cartilage, abalone, and Biota orientalis lipid extract) and assess the clinical effects of long-term DN administration.


METHODS
22 healthy horses.


METHODS
12 horses were fed 0, 15, 45, or 75 mg of DN (3 horses/treatment) daily for 84 days. General health and clinicopathologic variables were monitored at intervals. Ten other horses received 0 or 15 g of DN/d (5 horses/treatment) for 29 days (beginning day -14). One intercarpal joint in each horse was injected twice with IL-1beta (10 and 100 ng on days 0 and 1, respectively), and the contralateral joint was similarly injected with saline (0.9% NaCl) solution. Synovial fluid prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), sulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAG), nitric oxide (NO), and protein concentrations and leukocyte counts were analyzed before and at intervals after injections.


RESULTS
Administration of the DN (up to 75 g/d) to horses for 84 days did not induce any adverse effects. In the other experiment, synovial fluid PGE(2), GAG, and protein concentrations and leukocyte count increased after intra-articular injections of IL-1beta (compared with effects of saline solution injections) in horses that received no DN; NO concentration was not affected. In horses that were fed the DN, intra-articular IL-1beta injections did not induce significant increases in synovial fluid PGE(2) and GAG concentrations.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggested that administration of the DN may be useful in preventing inflammation associated with arthritis and degenerative joint disease in horses.
Pearson
Wendy
W
Department of Plant Agriculture, Ontario Agriculture College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
Orth
Michael W
MW
Lindinger
Michael I
MI
D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006736:Horses; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary*; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008974:Mollusca; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000032:analysis; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D029783:Thuja; D013997:Time Factors; D014020:Tissue Extracts
D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D014020:Tissue Extracts; C111481:shark cartilage extract; D009569:Nitric Oxide