Effect of intravenous lidocaine administration on laminar inflammation in the black walnut extract model of laminitis.
Authors: Williams J M, Lin Y J, Loftus J P, Faleiros R R, Peroni J F, Hubbell J A E, Ravis W R, Belknap J K
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
Black walnut extract induces a well-characterised model of sepsis-associated laminitis in horses, characterised by upregulation of inflammatory genes including pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6), cyclooxygenase-2, chemokines (IL-8) and endothelial adhesion molecules (ICAM-1, E-selectin)—a cascade that drives neutrophil recruitment and laminar tissue damage. The research team investigated whether intravenous lidocaine, already shown in human sepsis models to suppress leucocyte and endothelial activation alongside reduced expression of pro-inflammatory mediators, could mitigate laminar inflammation in horses. Although the specifics of their findings are not detailed here, the rationale is compelling: if lidocaine can interrupt the molecular signalling events underpinning neutrophil emigration into laminar tissue, it represents a potential adjunctive therapy during the critical early phase of endotoxaemic laminitis. For veterinary practitioners managing sepsis or endotoxaemia-related cases, this work highlights a mechanistic target for anti-inflammatory intervention beyond conventional therapies. Further understanding of lidocaine's effects on laminar gene expression could inform protocols for preventing or limiting laminitis severity in horses with systemic inflammatory disease.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Intravenous lidocaine may have anti-inflammatory benefits in laminitis cases by suppressing excessive neutrophil activation and endothelial involvement in the laminae
- •This research supports exploring lidocaine as adjunctive therapy for sepsis/endotoxemia-related laminitis cases alongside standard management
- •Understanding the molecular mechanisms of laminitis inflammation could lead to targeted interventions earlier in the disease cascade
Key Findings
- •Black walnut extract induces systemic inflammatory response with increased laminar mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6), COX-2, chemokines (IL-8), and endothelial adhesion molecules (ICAM-1, E-selectin)
- •Intravenous lidocaine administration decreases leucocyte and endothelial activation in sepsis models
- •Study investigates whether i.v. lidocaine reduces the inflammatory cascade in laminae during laminitis development