Anti-inflammatory phytotherapeutics: a valuable alternative to NSAID treatment in horses?

ABSTRACT In equine practice, phytotherapy is meeting the increasing demand of horse owners for "natural", safe treatment methods. Long-term use of NSAIDs can cause severe adverse effects, hence the growing popularity of anti-inflammatory phytotherapeutics. At the current time, several different herbal mixes are being commercialized, which makes it difficult for horse owners and veterinarians alike to make a well-founded choice. Harpagophytum procumbens (devil's claw), Salix spp. (willow) and Ribes nigrum (blackcurrant), three plants that are often used in these mixes, have been evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. Based on published studies and the evaluation of these studies, for example by the Cochrane Collaboration, there seems to be some evidence for Harpagophytum procumbens and Salix spp. having a stronger analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect than placebos in humans. In horses, however, only one limited clinical study on Harpagophytum has been performed up until now, while no studies were found on the use of Salix in horses. More research is needed before any claims concerning efficacy or safety can be made regarding the use of these plants in treating horses. It has also been claimed that Ribes nigrum leaves have an anti-inflammatory effect, though this has not yet been clinically proven either in humans or in horses. Although veterinary phytotherapy is as old as animal husbandry itself, little scientific proof can be found regarding its uses. More research is needed before phytotherapy can be advertised as a valuable and safe alternative to the more conventional treatment protocols. SAMENVATTING In de paardengeneeskunde is fytotherapie een antwoord op de toenemende vraag van eigenaren naar "natuurlijke", veilige behandelmethoden. Het langdurig gebruik van NSAID's kan ernstige bijwerkingen geven, vandaar de groeiende populariteit van ontstekingsremmende fytotherapeutica. Momenteel zijn er meerdere kruidenpreparaten commercieel beschikbaar maar het is moeilijk voor de paardeneigenaar en de dierenarts om hier een verantwoorde keuze uit te maken. Harpagophytum procumbens (duivelsklauw), Salix spp. (wilg) en Ribes nigrum (zwarte bes of cassisbes), drie planten die veel gebruikt worden in de commerciële preparaten, werden zowel in vitro als in vivo geëvalueerd. Op basis van gepubliceerde studies en de beoordeling van deze studies door onder andere de Cochrane Collaboration zijn er aanwijzingen dat Harpagophytum procumbens en Salix spp. bij de mens een groter analgetisch en ontstekingsremmend effect hebben dan een placebo. Bij paarden is er echter slechts één beperkte klinische studie met Harpagophytum uitgevoerd, en het effect van Salix werd nog nooit onderzocht. Om de werkzaamheid en veiligheid van deze planten bij het paard te kunnen beoordelen, dient er meer onderzoek verricht te worden. De bladeren van Ribes nigrum zouden ook een ontstekingsremmende werking hebben, maar dit is momenteel noch bij de mens, noch bij het paard klinisch aangetoond. Hoewel de veterinaire fytotherapie al even lang bestaat als de dierhouderij, is er weinig wetenschappelijk bewijs omtrent een efficiënte werking ervan. Vooraleer men de fytotherapie kan aanraden als een waardevol en veilig alternatief voor de conventionele behandelmethoden, is er duidelijk nog meer onderzoek nodig

Suspected swainsonine poisoning in a Belgian horse

The case of a horse with acute symptoms of excitement, exaggerated fright reactions and trembling is presented. In addition to these cerebral symptoms, mild cerebellar ataxia and a renal tubular lesion were diagnosed. Suspected swainsonine poisoning was confirmed by the presence of the toxin (154 ng/ml) in the serum sample taken immediately after admission. A good recovery was seen after fluid therapy with supplementation of potassium, a dopamine drip and administration of diazepam. The effects of the toxin, by inhibiting the lysosomal enzyme α-mannosidase and mimicking the genetic mannosidosis, are discussed

Poisonous or non-poisonous plants? DNA-based tools and applications for accurate identification

Plant exposures are among the most frequently reported cases to poison control centres worldwide. This is a growing condition due to recent societal trends oriented towards the consumption of wild plants as food, cosmetics, or medicine. At least three general causes of plant poisoning can be identified: plant misidentification, introduction of new plant-based supplements and medicines with no controls about their safety, and the lack of regulation for the trading of herbal and phytochemical products. Moreover, an efficient screening for the occurrence of plants poisonous to humans is also desirable at the different stages of the food supply chain: from the raw material to the final transformed product. A rapid diagnosis of intoxication cases is necessary in order to provide the most reliable treatment. However, a precise taxonomic characterization of the ingested species is often challenging. In this review, we provide an overview of the emerging DNA-based tools and technologies to address the issue of poisonous plant identification. Specifically, classic DNA barcoding and its applications using High Resolution Melting (Bar-HRM) ensure high universality and rapid response respectively, whereas High Throughput Sequencing techniques (HTS) provide a complete characterization of plant residues in complex matrices. The pros and cons of each approach have been evaluated with the final aim of proposing a general user\u2019s guide to molecular identification directed to different stakeholder categories interested in the diagnostics of poisonous plants