Effect of gabapentin on oxidative stress parameters in healthy cats

• Grant number: 20/08405-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2021
• End date: April 30, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Breno Fernando Martins de Almeida
• Grantee: Myleny Barrieli Silva
• Host Institution: Centro Universitário Faculdades Integradas de Ourinhos. Fundação Educacional Miguel Mofarrej. Ourinhos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The restraint of felines to perform complementary exams, in general, is a difficult procedure in veterinary medicine and can often compromise the quality of the exam to be performed. The main manifestations of fear or acute stress are characterized by behavioral and physiological changes, such as significant increases in blood pressure, heart and respiratory rate, even leading to hematological changes. To circumvent such effects, gabapentin has been used in an attempt to reduce these manifestations of fear in felines in different contexts, but it is not yet known whether the use of this drug would be capable of causing changes in oxidative stress parameters. In this context, the present study aims to evaluate the effects of gabapentin on the oxidative stress parameters of healthy cats. For this purpose, at least 10 healthy adult felines will be selected and will be randomly allocated in a randomized cross-over blind study in two experimental groups: with the administration of 100mg of gabapentin per animal or with the administration of equivalent placebo, where neither the veterinarian nor neither the owner will know the drug administered at the time of collection and analysis of the samples. For this, the cats will be evaluated in two visits with an interval of 7 days, the order being defined by lot. Oxidative stress will be determined by the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) by three methods: TAC trolox equivalent by the reduction of the ABTS cation (TAC-ABTS), TAC by the ferric reducing ability of plasma (TAC-FRAP) and cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (TAC-CUPRAC); in addition, the determination of total oxidant capacity (TOC), lipid peroxidation by thiobarbituric acid reactive substance assay (TBARS) and the antioxidants uric acid and albumin will also be performed, all in a semi-automatic photocolorimeter. The variables will be tested for normality, the differences between the groups will be verified by the paired t test or Wilcoxon, being considered significant when p<0.05. (AU)