Effects of an Oral Nutraceutical on Clinical Aspects of Joint Disease in a Blinded, Controlled Clinical Trial: 39 Horses

摘要

Myristol is a nutraceutical, containing cetyl myristoleate, glucosamine hydrochloride, methylsulfo-nylmethane, and hydrolyzed collagen, available to veterinarians for use in osteoarthritis (OA) in horses. This study investigated the efficacy of Myristol to alleviate clinical signs of OA in horses. Thirty-nine horses with OA were used in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Each horse was scored using American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) guidelines for lameness severity and 0-10 cm visual analog scales (VAS) for lameness at walk (LAW), lameness at trot (LAT), response to joint flexion (RJF), lameness after flexion (LAF), and quality of life (QOL). Horses were assessed on day O and 14, 28, and 42 days after treatment. A responder was denned as improving 1 grade on the AAEP lameness scale or 2 cm on the VAS. Parameter differences between treatment groups were evaluated by repeated-measures analysis of variance. Cross-tabulations of the number of responders versus nonresponders were evaluated by Fischer's exact test. Level of significance was set at p = 0.05. The Myristol group improved significantly more than the placebo group in AAEP lameness score (p=0.03), LAW (p=0.02), RJF (p=0.04), LAF (p-0.05) and QOL(p=0.05). The Myristol group had significantly more responders than the placebo group in one measured parameter (RJF). Oral administration of Myristol had beneficial clinical effects on horses with naturally occuring OA.