title: Oral chondroitin sulfate and prebiotics for the treatment of canine Inflammatory Bowel Disease: a randomized, controlled clinical trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Canine inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic enteropathy of unknown etiology, although microbiome dysbiosis, genetic susceptibility, and dietary and/or environmental factors are hypothesized to be involved in its pathogenesis. Since some of the current therapies are associated with severe side effects, novel therapeutic modalities are needed. A new oral supplement for long-term management of canine IBD containing chondroitin sulfate (CS) and prebiotics (resistant starch, β-glucans and mannaoligosaccharides) was developed to target intestinal inflammation and oxidative stress, and restore normobiosis, without exhibiting any side effects. This double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in dogs with IBD aims to evaluate the effects of 180 days administration of this supplement together with a hydrolyzed diet on clinical signs, intestinal histology, gut microbiota, and serum biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-seven client-owned biopsy-confirmed IBD dogs were included in the study, switched to the same hydrolyzed diet and classified into one of two groups: supplement and placebo. Initially, there were no significant differences between groups (p > 0.05) for any of the studied parameters. Final data analysis (supplement: n = 9; placebo: n = 10) showed a significant decrease in canine IBD activity index (CIBDAI) score in both groups after treatment (p < 0.001). After treatment, a significant decrease (1.53-fold; p < 0.01) in histologic score was seen only in the supplement group. When groups were compared, the supplement group showed significantly higher serum cholesterol (p < 0.05) and paraoxonase-1 (PON1) levels after 60 days of treatment (p < 0.01), and the placebo group showed significantly reduced serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels after 120 days (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found between groups at any time point for CIBDAI, WSAVA histologic score and fecal microbiota evaluated by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). No side effects were reported in any group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combined administration of the supplement with hydrolyzed diet over 180 days was safe and induced improvements in selected serum biomarkers, possibly suggesting a reduction in disease activity. This study was likely underpowered, therefore larger studies are warranted in order to demonstrate a supplemental effect to dietary treatment of this supplement on intestinal histology and CIBDAI.
authors.affiliation: R&D Bioiberica SA, Pça. Francesc Macià 7, 08029, Barcelona, Spain. ssegarra@bioiberica.com.
authors.forename: Sergi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Segarra
authors.affiliation: Interlab-UMU, Campus de Excelencia "Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30071, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martínez-Subiela
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), IRTA, Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cerdà-Cuéllar
authors.affiliation: R&D Bioiberica SA, Pça. Francesc Macià 7, 08029, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martínez-Puig
authors.affiliation: Interlab-UMU, Campus de Excelencia "Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30071, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Prieto
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), 28040, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Franco
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, and Health Surveillance Centre (VISAVET), Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), 28040, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Bertos
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and Services, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, EN6 1NB, UK.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Allenspach
authors.affiliation: R&D Bioiberica SA, Pça. Francesc Macià 7, 08029, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Velasco
authors.affiliation: Interlab-UMU, Campus de Excelencia "Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30071, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cerón
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D064307:Microbiota; D056692:Prebiotics / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D056692:Prebiotics; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates
keywords: CIBDAI; Chronic enteropathy; Dog; Glycosaminoglycan; Oxidative stress; Resistant starch; β-glucans