Poppenga R H
Laboratory of Pathology and Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, New Bolton Center, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, USA.
Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract. 2001 Dec;17(3):455-77, vi-vii. doi: 10.1016/s0749-0739(17)30045-7.
The use of dietary supplements (herbs, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, and other compounds) is common in horses. They are heavily marketed in retail stores, magazines, and on the Internet. There is the perception that since these compounds are "natural" they are devoid of toxicity, and, therefore, they are safe to use. Some of the active compounds in supplements, however, have inherent toxicity, and using them may cause adverse effects. Even relatively non-toxic ingredients may be toxic if used over-zealously or for a long period of time. By and large, these compounds have not been tested for safety or efficacy when used as marketed, and, unfortunately, there is little regulatory oversight for such products. Other deleterious consequences of dietary supplement use include interaction of compounds in the products with conventional drugs, resulting in unexpected adverse effects, or the occurrence of violative residues in urine samples collected from show or performance horses. This article provides a brief overview of potential problems associated with dietary supplements, primarily focusing on products containing herbs and essential oils.
膳食补充剂（草药、维生素、矿物质、氨基酸、酶及其他化合物）在马匹中使用很普遍。它们在零售店、杂志及互联网上大量销售。人们认为，由于这些化合物是“天然的”，所以没有毒性，因此使用起来是安全的。然而，补充剂中的一些活性化合物具有内在毒性，使用它们可能会引起不良反应。即使是相对无毒的成分，如果过度使用或长期使用也可能有毒。总的来说，这些化合物在按市场销售的方式使用时，尚未经过安全性或有效性测试，而且不幸的是，对此类产品几乎没有监管。使用膳食补充剂的其他有害后果包括产品中的化合物与传统药物相互作用，导致意外的不良反应，或者从参赛或表演马匹采集的尿液样本中出现违规残留。本文简要概述了与膳食补充剂相关的潜在问题，主要聚焦于含有草药和精油的产品。
