Evaluation of the inflammatory and oxidant effects of medical ozone in synovial joints of healthy horses

Author(s)

Cynthia do Prado Vendruscolo

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia
• Defense date: 23 mar. 2017

Examining board members

Raquel Yvonne Arantes Baccarin; Ana Liz Garcia Alves; Denise Tabacchi Fantoni

• Advisor: Raquel Yvonne Arantes Baccarin

Abstract

Ozone therapy consists of the application of medicinal ozone, a mixture of ozone and oxygen, which through reactive oxygen species and products of lipoperoxidation exert various effects on the body, such as improvement of tissue oxygenation and metabolism, angiogenesis, increase of antioxidant mechanisms, improvement of the immune system, anti-inflammatory effect, among others. This therapeutic modality is already widely studied in human medicine and has been applied in equine sports medicine in the treatment of osteoarthritis, but without expressive studies that prove its safety and efficacy. The objective of the present study is to analyze the inflammatory and oxidizing effects of medicinal ozone on synovial joints of healthy horses. Twenty-four tibiotarsic joints were randomly distributed in three groups. In the treated groups three weekly applications of 15 ml of medicinal ozone in the concentration of 20 (GA) and 40µg / ml (GB) were carried out for a total of 10 applications. Already in the control group, the joints received three weekly applications of 15 ml of O2 (GC), also in the total of 10 applications. Physical, lameness and ultrasound examinations were performed, as well as synovial fluid analysis, including total nucleated cell count and quantification of total protein, prostaglandin E2, Substance P, interleukin-1, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, tumor necrosis factor-α, hyaluronic acid (concentration and molecular weight) and chondroitin sulfate. For the antioxidant evaluation in the synovial fluid, the activity of the superoxide dismutase and the oxidative burst was determined. There was an increase in temperature in GA and GB, GB animals presented greater lameness compared to the other groups and an increase was observed in all groups of ultrasound scores. In the synovial fluid analysis, GA and GB cell counts were observed, followed by polymorphonuclear cells in GB, increased protein concentration in GA and GB, superoxide desmutase activity and activation index in GA, and decrease in concentration of Hyaluronic acid in all groups and chondrocyte sulfate in GB and CG. There was no difference in the concentrations of PGE2, substance P, IL-1, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α. The consecutive application of intra-articular medicinal ozone caused ultrasonography changes and lameness, more noticeable at 40 ug / mL. These changes related more to joint distension caused by gas infusion than to inflammatory effects from O3, since synovial fluid analyzes did not show relevant inflammation. It is concluded that the intra-articular application of medical ozone in horses is safe in both doses, and that experiments must be performed using animals with different joint diseases, so that the benefits of ozonotherapy are evidenced and understood. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/04006-9 - Inflammatory and oxidant effect evaluation of the medicinal ozone in synovial joints in healthy equines
• Grantee: Cynthia Do Prado Vendruscolo
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Master