Pre-Treatment with Turmeric (C. Xanthorrhiza) Reduces the Severity of Squamous Gastric Ulceration in Feed Restricted Horses

Abstract

Volume 3 -Issue 1 | are both time and financially expensive. "Nutraceuticals" and feed supplements are consequently used frequently by horse owners for treatment or prevention of gastric ulcers, with limited empirical evidence of efficacy.Turmeric has recently become a popular supplement in horse diets for the treatment of various ailments, including gastric ulcers (authors' observation). A spice traditionally used both in food and as a medicinal treatment in southern Asia, turmeric is purported to have a large range of healing properties. Curcuma longa is the most commonly used and studied species; however other species such as C. xanthorrhiza are also used. The two species have comparable biochemical composition and biological effects [8,9]. Many of these effects have been examined in cell-, animal-and human-based studies over the last decade or so and have demonstrated that both turmeric and its major bioactive component, curcumin, have antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects [10,11]. Several animal model and human studies have indicated the potential for turmeric/curcumin to prevent or treat gastric ulcers, with minimal side effects [12][13][14][15].