A novel compound, developed by Dr. Khouri, is a Human Leukocyte
Elastase/Protease Inhibitor, seems to help reduce or stop
bleeding from the lungs in race horses. Exercise Induced
Pulmonary Hemorrhage is well known condition in the horse
racing community. Almost all horses, racing or not, may
develop in microscopic or large lung bleeding. According
to several vets, there is no definite treatment for this
devastating ailment.
It seems that during hard running the blood pressure in
the lungs becomes so high, blood leaks from the small blood
vessels ending up in the airways, throat and nostrils. The
pulmonary blood pressure rises from 20 mm of mercury to
80 within few minutes. The reason for the bleeding is not
well known. It is possible that the tiny blood vessel walls,
made mostly of elastin, rupture leading to leakage of blood.
The compound was tested by few vets on twenty racehorses
recognized as “bleeders” or “heavy bleeders”.
Eighteen stopped bleeding, one had minimal bleeding by endoscopy
and one horse, which was given one dose only, did not respond.
Each horse was given via injection or orally for three or
four days before racing*. Some horses looked calmer and
the skin also looked better at the end of the race. No side
effects were noted in any of the horses and the compound
passed drug testing. This looks like a 90% response.
How does the compound work? Elastase is an enzyme that destroys
elastin and it found in every tissue in the body. When any
tissue is damaged for any reason, collagen and elastin are
sent to the area; elastase destroys elastin and collagen
develops into a scar. The compound inhibits the elastase
(and protease enzymes), thus preventing scar formation and
helping the tissue to reconstruct itself.
In the lung capillaries, it is possible that the compound
may be strengthening the elastin polypeptide chains which
makes more stretchy and/or harder to break due to high pulmonary
blood pressure.
This US patented compound is in infancy and needs to be
tested on horse models in a lab that has the facilities
that perform those specific tests.
| If a vet is interested in treating
horses with EIPH, please email Dr.
Khouri. After signing a confidentiality agreement
and agreeing to send reports by fax or email, he or
she will receive a vial with instructions to treat TWO
horses at no charge. The compound is never sold. |
*According to vets testing most horses established that only
two doses given 48 and 24 hours before racing stopped bleeding.
