Effects of oral treatment with chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine in an experimental model of metacarpophalangeal osteoarthritis in horses.

BACKGROUND: Combined chondroitin sulfate (CS) and glucosamine (GlcN) has been widely used in oral formulations to prevent and treat osteoarthritis. CS is effective for controlling pain in osteoarthritic patients, whereas GlcN can stimulate glycosaminoglycan synthesis, thus reducing extracellular matrix degradation. Although several studies have been published on this topic, the effectiveness of treatment with oral CS and GlcN remains uncertain. The objective of this study was to analyze the progression of experimentally induced osteoarthritis in horses and verify the effectiveness of an oral compound based on CS and GlcN to treat and/or modulate this disease. The study analyzed the metacarpophalangeal joint of the left thoracic limb of 16 horses divided into two groups, with eight horses treated with CS and GlcN in the treated group (GT) and eight untreated horses in the control group (GC). Chondral lesions were induced through arthroscopy, which was defined as time-point zero (T0). Physical, ultrasonographic, and radiographic examinations and synovial fluid biomarkers measurements were performed on days 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120. At the end of the experiment (T4), arthroscopy was performed again to macroscopically evaluate the joints and collect material for microscopic analysis. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed between groups in some evaluated parameters, such as visual lameness assessment, synovial concentrations of prostaglandin E2, and ultrasound examination. However, the GT still presented slightly improved results for joint flexion angle, analysis of lameness using sensors, and histopathological analysis of chondral repair tissue, however, without the statistical significance (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The treatment was considered effective in the clinical modulation of experimental osteoarthritis, with improvement of some parameters in the GT. However, this type of treatment may not be entirely effective to change the catabolic process in articular cartilage and the progressive induced chondral damage.

Morphological analysis of third metacarpus cartilage and subchondral bone in Thoroughbred racehorses: An ex vivo study.

Racehorses are exposed to repetitive overload during training and competition, causing joint hyperextension, tissue fatigue, and ultimately skeletal failure. Some degree of bone changes, such as sclerosis, are expected in equine athletes, as adaptation to the biomechanical rigors of training and racing. Understanding the imaging characteristics of the equine joint surface and subchondral bone would allow earlier detection of injuries or adaptation, improving prognosis and training programs. This study sought to describe the joint surface structural patterns and the periarticular structures of the third metacarpal bone (MC3). Both forelimbs of eight horses engaged in daily training programs, aged 3-5 years, which were euthanized for reasons unrelated to the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints, were collected. Specimens were evaluated through macroscopic inspection, radiography, ultrasonography, and microscopic examinations, such as optical microscopy and microtomography. Analysis of the microtomography images showed that 50% of the samples had higher trabecular thickness in the lateral condyle. Comparison of each imaging examination revealed that ultrasound images were most closely related to the histological examination (p = .29) in terms of sensitivity, while macroscopic and radiographic examinations differed most between evaluators. Finally, the irregularities and modifications observed in the articular cartilage surface and subchondral bone were normal adaptations of the anatomical structures of trained racehorses, which should be considered during clinical examination.

Effects of Joint Lavage with Dimethylsulfoxide on LPS-Induced Synovitis in Horses-Clinical and Laboratorial Aspects.

Several studies in human and equine medicine have produced controversial results regarding the role of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) as a therapeutic agent. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of joint lavage with different DMSO concentrations on biomarkers of synovial fluid inflammation and cartilage degradation in joints with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced synovitis. Twenty-six tibiotarsal joints of 13 horses were randomly distributed into four groups (lactated Ringer's solution; 5% DMSO in lactated Ringer's; 10% DMSO in lactated Ringer's; and sham). All animals were evaluated for the presence of lameness, and synovial fluid analyses were performed at 0 h, 1 h, 8 h, 24 h, and 48 h (T0, T1, T8, T24, and T48, respectively). The white blood cell counts (WBC), total protein (TP), urea, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), hyaluronic acid (HA), and chondroitin sulfate (CS) concentrations were measured. The WBC counts and PGE2, IL-1ß, IL-6, and TP concentrations increased in all groups at T8 compared to baseline values (p<0.05). At T48, only the 5% DMSO and 10% DMSO groups showed a significant decrease in WBC counts (p<0.05). Furthermore, the 10% DMSO group had lower concentrations of PGE2 and IL-1ß at T48 than at T8 (p<0.05) and presented lower IL-6 levels than the5% DMSO and lactated Ringer's groups at T24. All groups showed an increase in CS concentration after LPS-induced synovitis. Joint lavage with 10% DMSO in lactated Ringer´s has anti-inflammatory but not chondroprotective effects.

Effects of medical ozone upon healthy equine joints: Clinical and laboratorial aspects.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to verify whether transient inflammatory reactions induced by intra-articular medicinal ozone administration affect joint components, by in vivo evaluation of inflammatory (prostaglandin E2, Substance P, Interleukin-6, Interleukine-1, Tumor Necrosis Factor), anti-inflammatory (Interleukin-10) and oxidative (superoxide dismutase activity and oxidative burst) biomarkers and extracellular matrix degradation products (chondroitin sulphate and hyaluronic acid) in synovial fluid. METHODS: The effects of medicinal ozone were analyzed at two ozone concentrations (groups A and B, 20 and 40 µg/ml, respectively), using oxygen-injected joints as controls (group C); each group received ten treatments (15 ml gas per treatment). Physical evaluation, evaluation of lameness, ultrasonography, and synovial fluid analysis were performed. RESULTS: All joints presented mild and transient effusion throughout the study. Group B exhibited the highest lameness score on day 14 (P<0.05), detected by the lameness measurement system, probably because of the higher ozone concentration. All groups exhibited increased ultrasonography scores on day 14 (P < 0.05). Groups A and B exhibited increased proteins concentrations on day 21 (P<0.05). There was no change in hyaluronic acid concentration or the percentage of high-molecular weight hyaluronic acid throughout the experiment. Chondroitin sulfate concentrations decreased in group B, and did not change in group A and C, indicating that neither treatment provoked extracellular matrix catabolism. Cytokine and eicosanoid concentrations were not significantly changed. CONCLUSIONS: The ozonetherapy did not cause significant inflammation process or cartilage degradation, therefore, ozonetherapy is safe at both evaluated doses.

Estudo esteriométrico da trabécula septomarginal em javali (Sus scrofa) / Stereometry study in wild boar (Sus scrofa) of septomarginal trabecula

O presente estudo descreve a morfologia da trabécula septomarginal no coração de javalis, de modo a oferecer dados sistemáticos que permitam um conhecimento mais detalhado do coração desta espécie. Os fragmentos das trabéculas foram submetidos à técnica histológica convencional, cortados em espessura de 5µm e corados pela Hematoxilina e Eosina e Tricrômico de Masson modificado. Com auxílio de um microscópio de luz AxioscópioZeiss as imagens foram captadas e analisadas através do programa específico de morfometria KS-400 Zeiss. Os dados obtidos foram submetidos ao teste ''U'' de Mann-Whitney (p0,05). A proporção média de tecido muscular estriado cardíaco foi 77,24%±2,31, a de tecido conjuntivo 4,76%±0,59. As miofibras de condução cardíaca apresentaram proporção média de 16,28%±1,71e a vascularização de 6,97%±0,79.

The goal of this study was to describe the morphology of septomarginaltrabecula in the heart of wild boars to provide systematic data that enable and assist the more detailed knowledge of the heart of this species. The fragments of trabecula were subjected to conventional histological technique, cut to a thickness of 5µm and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin and modified Masson's trichrome. With the use of digital optical microscope Zeiss Axioscópio took up photomicrographs and the images were analyzed employing image analysis program Zeiss KS-400. The data were subjected to application of Mann-Whitney U test. The mean and standard error of the proportion of connective tissue was 4.76%±0.59, the striated muscle tissue was 77.24%±2.31, the cardiac conduction myofibers16.28%±1.71and the vascularization, 6.97%±0.79.

Morfometria das fibras colágeno cardíaco em ratos sadios e diabéticos suplementados com vitamina C / Morphometry of the collagen fibers in healthy and diabetic rats treated with vitamin C

The increase of heart collagen fibers in diabetics is a well known fact, but the consequences are not defined. The aim was to quantify the cardiac collagen fibers in normal and diabetic rats treated with vitamin C. We selected 32 Wistar rats, 16 diabetic animals induced endovenously with streptozootocin, and 16 healthy animals, half of them, diabetics and normals, were treated with vitamin C for 90 days. After the experimental proceeding, the hearts were removed and processed accordingly to conventional protocol for optical microscopy and specific staining for collagen. The results showed that the diabetic rats presented increase in the number of cardiac collagen fibers, but the ones treated with vitamin C showed little accumulation of fibers. It could be concluded that treatment with vitamin C is important for the prevention of heart failure in diabetic animals.

O aumento do conteúdo de fibras colágenas no coração de diabéticos é um fato bastante conhecido, suas conseqüências ainda são objeto de estudo e causam certa controvérsia, portanto este trabalho objetivou estudar a variação na quantidade das fibras de colágeno cardíacas em animais normais e diabéticos tratados pela vitamina C. Para isso foram selecionados 32 ratos Wistar, 16 diabéticos induzidos pela injeção endovenosa de estreptozootocina e 16 normais, sendo metade deles tratados com Vitamina C (diabéticos e normais) por um período de 90 dias. Após período experimental, os corações foram retirados e processados segundo protocolo convencional para microscopia óptica e coloração específica para colágeno. Os resultados mostram que animais diabéticos apresentam maior quantidade de fibras de colágeno cardíacas e que o tratamento com a vitamina C determinou um menor acúmulo na quantidade dessas fibras.