Effects of phenylbutazone alone or in combination with a nutritional therapeutic on gastric ulcers, intestinal permeability, and fecal microbiota in horses.
Authors: Whitfield-Cargile Canaan M, Coleman Michelle C, Cohen Noah D, Chamoun-Emanuelli Ana M, DeSolis Cristobal Navas, Tetrault Taylor, Sowinski Ryan, Bradbery Amanda, Much Mattea
Journal: Journal of veterinary internal medicine
Summary
# Editorial Summary Phenylbutazone is widely used in equine practice for analgesia and anti-inflammatory purposes, yet its direct effects on the living horse's gastrointestinal barrier—and whether nutritional support can mitigate potential damage—remained poorly understood despite in vitro evidence of concern. Researchers administered phenylbutazone alone or combined with a targeted nutritional therapeutic to horses, measuring gastric ulceration, intestinal permeability (using specific biomarkers), and faecal microbiota composition to establish whether the NSAID causes clinically meaningful GI injury and dysbiosis in vivo. The combination treatment appeared to offer protective effects on barrier integrity and microbial populations compared to phenylbutazone monotherapy, though gastric ulceration occurred in both groups, suggesting that NSAIDs carry inherent GI risks that nutritional intervention can partially but not completely offset. These findings carry practical implications for practitioners using phenylbutazone long-term: concurrent use of appropriate nutritional therapeutics may help preserve intestinal health and reduce dysbiosis-related complications, though they should not be relied upon as a complete substitute for careful NSAID monitoring and judicious dosing protocols. Understanding that phenylbutazone affects not just the gastric mucosa but also deeper intestinal barrier function and microbial ecology supports a more holistic approach to supporting horses requiring extended analgesia.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •When prescribing phenylbutazone to horses, consider concurrent use of evidence-based nutritional therapeutics to minimize gastric ulcer development and intestinal barrier dysfunction
- •Monitor horses on NSAIDs for signs of GI compromise; microbiota changes and increased permeability may precede clinical disease
- •Prophylactic nutritional support appears beneficial during phenylbutazone therapy, potentially reducing need for additional gastroprotective medications
Key Findings
- •Phenylbutazone alters gastrointestinal barrier function in vivo in horses, consistent with previous in vitro and ex vivo findings
- •Nutritional therapeutic interventions may prevent or mitigate phenylbutazone-induced changes to GI barrier function
- •NSAID use is associated with measurable effects on intestinal permeability and fecal microbiota composition in horses
- •Combined phenylbutazone and nutritional therapeutic approach shows potential for reducing GI adverse events