Joint disease and lameness in the horse is a very common problem, impacting upwards of 75% of horses, especially as they grow older. Osteoarthritis is a condition which not only results in pain and lameness, but also negatively impacts performance and quality of life. Herbs are not commonly high on the list, in regard to therapy options for most owners or veterinarians, but given their proper usage over years and research history, they certainly should be considered. Curcumin and Resveratrol are two herbs or nutraceuticals that can dramatically impact joint lameness and pain in the horse, especially when combined together.
Osteoarthritis is a debilitating condition that impacts the horse and other species. It is a degenerative condition, getting worse over time, resulting in cartilage destruction, reduced joint fluid production, pain and inflammation. Many horses also experience a reduced range of motion in the affected joint, which along with pain, results in decreased performance and reduced quality of life.
It is no secret to most horse owners and veterinarians that know me, that I am not a fan of joint injections with corticosteroids or other therapies. I am also not a big believer in regenerative therapies, including stem cells and platelet-rich-plasma, as they are used today. Medication usage often leads to further medication usage for most horses, whether if this is a joint injection being increased in frequency or oral pain medications which gradually escalate in dose. The reason for this is that the medications are only addressing clinical symptoms, including pain, and not addressing the problem. Thus, the condition progresses and slowly the horse becomes a medication junkie while being clinically worse. It’s a fact that most of us do not want to admit and the reason we continue this path of insanity is that we claim to have no other options.
Absolutely not true!
After our initial research using Curcumin along with other herbs in a small clinical trial with equine patients in 2006 that were impacted by joint disease, I stopped injecting joints. Additionally, I stopped prescribing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, at least for the long-term. Why? Simply because our equine patients did better on the oral herb blends than they did on the medications. Why, you ask again? Because we were not just addressing the immediate problem of discomfort, but also attacking the underlying inflammatory issues that were creating the joint conditions.
The thing about herbs is that the vast majority of them impact inflammation on some scale, but some are more potent and targeted than others. In addition, in order to gain those benefits clinically in the horse or any other species, the dose needs to be correct. In far too many cases of equine consultations, owners are using either other companies herbal blends or our Cur-OST equine blends, but the dose is too low and they are not following label directions. If you desire results for your horse, you must use the proper doses. This is true for herbs just as it is for medications.
One of my most favorite herbs for inflammation and joint disease in the horse is Curcumin. This is the herb that got us started and it is the one that I will stick with from here on out, generally in combination with other herbs. Curcumin is heavily supported by research, but some question its clinical efficacy due to ‘low absorption’. Again, this is opinion and in my opinion, it is hog-wash. We want Curcumin to be a ‘drug’ and act like a drug, but it isn’t. Curcumin has been shown in more recent research to act at the ‘gut-level’, impacting the digestive microbiome and literally healing a damaged gut lining at the tight cell junction level. What happens in the gut then transfers to the rest of the body, reducing inflammatory events and impacting the immune response. It is an incredible herb, but must be used correctly, at the right dose and in the right combinations. Here is an article on Curcumin bioavailability.
Curcumin and Resveratrol for Equine Joint Disease
The dose of Curcumin can be quite high in the horse and with that, the expense rises as does the difficulty in getting the patient to comply. If you combine Curcumin with other ‘like’ herbs, then there is an additive effect or synergism on many levels. This synergism can increase overall potency while reducing the dosage.
Curcumin’s research and anti-inflammatory abilities are very well known and in most of our Cur-OST formulas, we add in another potent anti-inflammatory for synergism called Boswellia serrata. This combination can be very potent and has been very effective for many horses, but there is another option that many have discovered in our line of formulas, which is our Cur-OST EQ Inflammend.
Resveratrol is not actually an herb but instead is a phytochemical extracted from various fruits, including grapes. Based on research, Resveratrol has many distinct capabilities, demonstrating potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, in addition to impacting the aging or degenerative process on a cellular level. It could be perceived as a powerful agent, just by itself, but there is more.
The synergism between Curcumin and Resveratrol in research studies has indicated that together, they are potentially more powerful than being used alone. Clinically, I have to agree with these findings.
In two studies, the combination of Curcumin and Resveratrol demonstrated marked chondroprotective effects through impacting the inflammatory response on a higher level than traditional medications. Essentially, this means that the herbs used together protected the joint cartilage, potentially reducing joint degeneration.
We created this synergistic blend after seeing this research several years ago and many horse owners have discovered the EQ Inflammend product, switching over time, even from the EQ Pure formula. The potential is real and many horses have clinically benefitted from this switch, but not all of them. Some horses do quite well on the Cur-OST EQ Pure with the traditional Curcumin and Boswellia synergism, while other have made leaps and bounds with the Curcumin and Resveratrol combination found in the Cur-OST EQ Inflammend.
As a veterinarian and researcher, I cannot say how a horse will respond or to which product they will respond. However, when it comes to joint disease and lameness in the horse, I keep these two formulas at the top of my list for therapy options, choosing one then assessing in 2-3 weeks the response and making a switch if needed.
This combination is not only effective for joint conditions in the horse, but can impact other lameness issues including navicular syndrome or heel pain, laminitis, and even back pain. The reason being is that inflammation is involved in each of those conditions and often, you also have compromised blood circulation. The wonderful thing is that Curcumin, either with Resveratrol or Bowellia, can dramatically impact circulation and vascular health.
Curcumin with Resveratrol is an incredible combination with potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. If your horse is continuing to battle with joint discomfort or other sources of lameness, strongly consider making a switch, especially if they have become a medication junkie.
Author: Tom Schell, D.V.M, CVCH, CHN
References:
- Shakibaei M et al. Curcumin synergizes with resveratrol to stimulate the MAPK signaling pathway in human articular chondrocytes in vitro. Genes Nutr (2011) 6:171-79
- Csaki C et al. Synergistic chondroprotective effects of curcumin and resveratrol in human chondrocytes: Inhibition of Il-1B induced NF-kB mediated inflammation and apoptosis. Athr Res Therapy (2009) 11:6