Microsoft word - bha madc research summary_prednisolone

British Horseracing Authority Medication and Doping Control Research
Summary: Prednisolone (interim 'pilot' study)
Why the research was needed Prednisolone is a corticosteroid anti-inflammatory medication widely used in animals and humans for the treatment of inflammatory conditions. No preparation is licensed for use in horses in Britain but under veterinary medicine prescribing rules ('the cascade') equine veterinarians are able to use tablets licensed in dogs in horses. The primary reason for this study was to develop a Detection Time for this medication to assist veterinarians to treat horses with minimal risk of it being present in the horse on raceday. The Authority carried out this study as part of our contribution to the collaborative programme initiated by the European Horserace Scientific Liaison Committee (EHSLC) in 2009 to develop Detection Times for different anti-inflammatory corticosteroid medications. Such collaborations reduce the number of animal studies each EHSLC member needed to do through ensuring proper organisation and pooling of information. Secondary aspects addressed by this study included increased understanding of how prednisolone is metabolised in horses. Concentrations of both prednisolone and prednisone (prednisone is converted into prednisolone by the liver) as well as other metabolites and the horses own cortisone levels were measured Overview of the study The study was conducted using horses at the Authority's Centre for Racehorse Studies with analysis at HFL Sport Science. Research procedures, which complied with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, were subject to ethical review and the analyses were conducted to industry standard quality procedures. The study was conducted in two stages, a two horse 'pilot' study in April 2010 followed by a 'main' study in June, to give data from a total of 6 horses. The drug was given at a recognised therapeutic dose (1 mg/kg bodyweight) in the horses' feed for 5 days during which time blood and urine samples were. A jugular vein catheter was placed for two days of more frequent blood sampling, before being removed and a further 6 days of less frequent blood and urine sampling followed. Outcomes and Conclusions of the 'pilot' study The results from the 'pilot' study were used to refine the design of the main study carried out at the beginning of June. Each of the two horses seemed to metabolise the medication slightly differently so it will be important to also assess these variations in the 'main' study and carefully combine information from both studies. Once the studies are combined, the data will be presented to the EHSLC and used to produce a Detection Time; this is planned for late 2010/early 2011. British Horseracing Authority Limited. For further information contact the Equine Science & Welfare Department: 020 7 152 0090 eswadmin@britishhorseracing.com British Horseracing Authority Limited, 75 High Holborn, London WC1V 6LS. Web: britishhorseracing.com Email: info@britishhorseracing.com Registered Number: 2813358 England. Calls may be recorded

Source: http://www.britishhorseracing.co.uk/resources/equine-science-and-welfare/Pred_pilot_study_2010.pdf