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HorseAdvice.com » Treatments and Medications for Horses » Anti-inflammatories (NSAID's, Steroids, Arthritis Rx) » Oral Glucosamine, ChonDrOitin Sulfate, and Hyaluronic Acid, their use in Arthritis »
  Discussion on Research Study: More Support for the use of Oral Glucosamine
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Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 13, 2009 - 8:38 am:

Though an in-vitro study it makes an attempt to see if there is an effect on equine cartilage when exposed to clinically relevant concentrations. This is would be the amount expected to be found in the live joint. Their conclusion: Glucosamine may have use at clinically relevant concentrations in the treatment of inflammatory joint disease.
DrO


Am J Vet Res. 2008 Sep;69(9):1129-34.
Effects of clinically relevant concentrations of glucosamine on equine chonDrOcytes and synoviocytes in vitro.

Byron CR, Stewart MC, Stewart AA, Pondenis HC.

Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of glucosamine on equine articular chonDrOcytes and synoviocytes at concentrations clinically relevant to serum and synovial fluid concentrations. SAMPLE POPULATION: Articular cartilage and synovium with normal gross appearance from metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints of 8 horses (1 to 10 years of age). PROCEDURES: In vitro chonDrOcyte and synoviocyte cell cultures from 8 horses were treated with glucosamine (0.1 to 20 microg/mL) with or without interleukin-1 (IL-1; 10 ng/mL) for 48 hours. Negative control cultures received no glucosamine or IL-1, and positive control cultures received only IL-1. Cultures were assayed for production of proteoglycan (via media containing sulfur 35 (35S)-labeled sodium sulfate and Alcian blue precipitation), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2; via a colorimetric assay), cyclooxygenase-2 (via real-time reverse-transcriptase PCR assay), microsomal PGE2 synthase (mPGEs; via real-time reverse-transcriptase PCR assay), and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 (via a colorimetric assay). RESULTS: Glucosamine had no impact on proteoglycan production or MMP-13 production under noninflammatory (no IL-1) or inflammatory (with IL-1) conditions. Glucosamine at 0.1 and 0.5 microg/mL significantly decreased IL-1-stimulated production of mPGEs by chonDrOcytes, compared with that of positive control chonDrOcytes. Glucosamine at 0.1 and 5 microg/mL significantly decreased IL-1-stimulated production of mPGEs and PGE2, respectively, compared with that of positive control synoviocytes. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Glucosamine had limited effects on chonDrOcyte and synoviocyte metabolism at clinically relevant concentrations, although it did have some anti-inflammatory activity on IL-1-stimulated articular cells. Glucosamine may have use at clinically relevant concentrations in the treatment of inflammatory joint disease.
Member:
hollyw

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 13, 2009 - 9:07 am:

Dr. O.,

The study above was done "in vitro." What does that mean, exactly? Were the horses given oral dosages? If so, is there a way to tell what is the best dosage of Glucosamine per pound of horse?
Is the best treatment for arthritis still a combination of Glucosamine and ChonDrOitin?

I know that when I have taken the supplement, my stomach has "problems," and I've spoken with other people, some of whom have also been bothered by taking Glucosamine/ChonDrOitin. Have you ever heard that horses experience gut discomfort from the feeding of the supplement?

Thank you.
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