UC-Davis Shows Vitamin E Role in Treating Equine Neurologic Disease

Dec 1, 2009
Ed Kane, PhD

Horses' condition makes it easier for vitamin E to do its work protecting cells from free-radical damage.

Some inflammatory or degenerative neurologic diseases that affect horses — equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (EDM) and equine motor neuron disease (EMND) — are linked to vitamin E deficiency. Vitamin E is a dietary antioxidant that protects cell membranes and tissues from oxidant free-radical damage, which is believed to play a role in the etiology and progression of the diseases.

Now, researchers at the University of California-Davis say horses with neurologic disease may respond differently to vitamin E treatment because of disruption of the blood-brain barrier or increased oxidant damage associated with the underlying disease.

The blood-brain barrier of horses with neurologic disease may be potentially compromised, allowing vitamin E to cross more easily, show higher cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations and be more effective in reducing oxidant free-radical damage in the brain.

Conversely, vitamin E may be more readily metabolized due to increased oxidant damage, and therefore show lower CSF values at the desired site of action. The antioxidant "demand" for older horses might be greater, especially those with neurologic disease.

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