Effects of diclofenac and dexamethasone on horse experimental endotoxemia

RESUMO

Fifteen healthy Mangalarga horses, aged two to three years were used to evaluate the possible beneficial effects of dexamethasone and sodium diclofenac administration during experimental endotoxemia in horses. They were divided into three groups with five animals each control (C), sodium diclofenac (SD) and dexamethasone (DM). All groups were given 0.1æg of Escherichia coli O55B5 endotoxin/kg of body weight, intravenous, over 15 minutes, and one of the following preparations group C - 20ml of 0.9 percent saline intravenous, 30 minutes before endoxin infusion; group SD - 2.2mg/kg, per os, 60 minutes before endotoxin infusion and group DM - 1.1 mg/kg, intravenous, 30 minutes before endotoxin infusion. No increase in rectal temperature was observed in the SD or DM treated groups. SD did not prevent the significant leukopenia, neutropenia and lymphopenia induced three hours after LPS injection, but DM attenuated these changes. No significant changes in plasma and peritoneal fluid total protein, inorganic phosphorus or glucose concentrations and in total nucleated cell count in peritoneal fluid were observed. SD was effective to prevent the fever and changes in intestinal borborygmi and DM blocked the cellular changes induced by experimental endotoxemia.