[Effect of tranquilizer doping on the muscular activity of the sport horse. II. -- Diazepam (author's transl)].

The practise of repeated doping of the sport horse led us to examine its effects on the health of the animal, and particularly on muscular activity. The main doping agent used at present (acepromazine) has already been studied (COURTOT et al., 1974). In this paper, we study the secondary effects of diazepam, a derivative of the benzodiazepine series, which is being used more and more frequently on horses. In treated animals as compared to controls, we observe: -- a slight respiratory depression related solely to effort, -- an increase in seric creatine phosphokinase rate with no apparent relation to effort. A discussion of these results leads to the conclusion that the secondary effects of diazepam are: -- a punctual effect on respiration as related to decreasing effort intensity, -- a toxic effect on muscle.