Newsdate: May 3, 2025 11:30 am
Location: LEXINGTON, Kentucky
Joint pain and osteoarthritis (OA) represent one of the leading causes of performance loss in equine athletes, affecting around 60% of the overall population. Chronic inflammation may cause permanent changes in joint function, leading to long-term pain, swelling and decreased range of motion, among other debilitating symptoms.
Cannabidiol - CBD.
Within the context of OA, CBD has been found to inhibit production of substances that increase inflammation, decrease sensitivity of pain-associated receptors and modulate overactive immune system.
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Many of the current OA treatments are management tools that prolong function, generally without modifying OA progression. The most common treatments include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and oral joint supplements that target cartilage repair or protective pathways, as well as joint injections with corticosteroids or newer orthobiologics, both of which are anti-inflammatory. Unfortunately, many of these treatments are associated with other adverse effects, especially when used long-term.
Several novel treatments to reduce joint inflammation with minimal side effects have been proposed within the scientific community. One such treatment is cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive chemical compound found in Cannabis sativa (colloquially known as hemp). CBD is known to target the endocannabinoid system, a complex network of several biological systems that affects many physiological processes, including but not limited to, pain perception, appetite, mood, learning and immune function.
Within the context of OA, CBD has been found to inhibit the production of substances that increase inflammation, decrease sensitivity of pain-associated receptors and modulate an overactive immune system. Anecdotally, many people claim the benefits of CBD, but more research is required to accurately quantify and qualify its potential benefits and risks. This is especially true within the equine community.
Our work in the Page Laboratory is interested in understanding the potential anti-inflammatory effects of CBD in joints via the implementation of a three-phase project. We aim to improve a chemically induced joint inflammation model such that it will be repeatable and reversible, while still accurately mimicking the body’s physical and biochemical response to inflammation.
Phase one involves refining the dosage of a pro-inflammatory compound which will be injected into one knee (carpal) joint, i ducing temporary inflammation.
Defining an appropriate dosage protocol and taking note of individual horse variability is an important step for developing a reliable experimental procedure.
Following phase one, the aim of phase two is to identify an appropriate CBD formulation for oral administration. Due to its chemical composition, CBD is not well
absorbed by the equine GI tract, with a bioavailability around 10% (e.g. horses will only absorb about 10% of the CBD administered to them).
Previous research has found what a drug is dissolved in can make a large difference in systemic CBD levels, and the most effective candidates are usually composed of fats, such as sesame or canola oil. An optimized formulation is necessary to both maximize therapeutic benefit while keeping palatability in mind for horses.
In phase three, we will combine the findings from the first two phases and analyze the effects of CBD on the drug-induced inflammatory response. A control group will receive no CBD, and the differences between the treated and untreated group will be evaluated.
Horses will be evaluated for several parameters, including the presence of biomarkers associated with inflammation both within the joint and systemically throughout the body. The mild lameness that is induced will be quantified via an objective evaluation system that can better detect the subtleties of gait asymmetries when compared to the human eye.
While other researchers have shown that CBD represents an exciting prospect for the treatment of chronic joint pain, our research should provide additional information on its efficacy for the horse.
Our findings may find applications for human medicine given the mechanisms of OA and joint pain in humans often mimic those seen in horses, which is important given that approximately 45% of people will develop some form of OA within their lifetimes. In the end, we hope to provide a better research model for joint inflammation while simultaneously evaluating CBD as a way to manage joint pain in horses.
Press release by Gluck Equine Research Center - Article by Jenna McPeek, PhD Graduate Student