TRM Kurasyn PB: Reducing inflammation in horses with Curcumin & Boswellia Serrata

TRM Kurasyn PB is a new to market (2022) equine oral syringe supplement building on its very well-known sister product Kurasyn 360X – a daily supplement to support equine joints and mobility. Kurasyn 360x combines Curcumin with a high dose of Hyaluronic acid, whilst Kurasyn PB has been launched to specifically support competition sports horses in the recovery from intense training or competition, or where a horse is battling with joint discomfort or in rehab.

The addition of Boswellia Serrata into Kurasyn PB enhances the anti-inflammatory properties it has, and its ability to boost the orthopaedic comfort of their horses. Ideally, horses in intense training, competition or orthopaedic discomfort should be on a daily supplement such as Kurasyn 360X and then use Kurasyn PB to enhance the supplementation.

Why is it important to support your horses' joints during orthopaedic stress or intense activity? Well…. horses with inflammation, particularly inflammation of the joints will not feel or perform at their best. Therefore, horse owners that strive for success use these products to power their performance.

The reason Kurasyn PB is so effective is down to its science-based formula, created using ingredients that have been clinically proven to deliver results. The product is made by TRM (Thoroughbred Remedies Manufacturing), Europe’s largest manufacturer of nutritional supplements and general healthcare products for horses. They specialise in maximising horses’ athletic performance by targeting their specific nutritional and care needs. Farm & Stable have worked for many years with TRM and is the Distributor of TRM’s whole range of Equine Supplements across Great Britain.

Why does Kurasyn PB Work?

Curcumin and Boswellia Serrata are two key ingredients in Kurasyn PB. This article explains how Curcumin and Boswellia Serrata interfere with the molecular pathways involved in inflammation, which ultimately explains why Kurasyn PB is so effective as a joint support product.

First, inflammation is briefly explained as understanding the molecular mechanism involved will help illustrate the effectiveness of Curcumin and Boswellia Serrata in inhibiting the inflammatory process.

The mechanism of inflammation

The inflammatory process consists of a complex biological system that occurs in response to a triggering stimulus. This could be anything from too much heat/cold exposure, restricted/too much blood flow, pathogens, or blunt trauma.

Inflammation involves the leakage of water, salt and proteins, activation of endothelial cells (the single layer of cells that line blood vessels), adhesive interactions between white blood cells, recruitment of white blood cells, activation of platelets, clotting, and the release of enzymes that breakdown of proteins. It is the body's way of attempting to mitigate injury.

Swelling/inflammation are often useful to protect the body, excessive swelling, (particularly swelling in joints) can lead to pain and stiffness significantly impacting not only performance but also the horse's quality of life. Short term inflammation is effective at quashing foreign bodies/infections/injury etc; long term inflammation may permanently damage the joint and avoided at all costs.

An inflammatory reaction involves the activation of signalling pathways and the regulation of inflammatory mediator levels in tissue cells and inflammatory cells. Below is a brief technical explanation of how both Curcumin and Boswellia interfere with the signalling pathways involved in the inflammatory process, resulting in reduced swelling, and ultimately contributing to increased orthopaedic comfort. 

CURCUMIN

Curcumin can act through a unique mechanism or a combination of any of the mechanisms that include:

• Inhibiting arachidonic acid metabolism
• Inhibiting Cyclooxygenase (COX)
• Inhibiting Lipoxygenases (LOX)
• Inhibiting cytokines such as TNF-α
• Releasing steroid hormones from adrenal glands
• Stabilizing the lysosomal membrane
• Effect in vitro and vivo experiments

Following irritation or injury arachidonic acid is released and oxygenated by enzymes. Arachidonic acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid found in the cell membranes of most body cells. This forms an important group of inflammatory mediators which are signalling molecules called eicosanoids. The release of eicosanoids is a fundamental component of the inflammatory process. Curcumin inhibits the metabolization of Arachidonic acid into eicosanoids.

Cyclooxygenase (COX) catalyses the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandin H2 (PGH2), and in turn, turns into a series of products in various types of cells and with different expressions. Prostaglandins are a group of lipids that are made at the site of tissue damage or infection. Unlike most hormones, which are secreted by glands and transported in the bloodstream, prostaglandins are produced at the site where they are needed e.g., the site of injury.

Cyclooxygenase (COX) plays an important role in the inflammatory process and the pain associated with it. By inhibiting the COX pathway, Curcumin suppresses the proliferation of prostaglandin, and therefore reduces inflammation.

Lipoxygenases (LOX), just like COX, are enzymes involved in the metabolism of arachidonic acid. Among the various LOX enzymes is mediated 5-LOX. This metabolite plays an important role in inflammation. LOX and COX are both inflammatory mediators that promote an inflammatory response.

Curcumin effectively suppresses the release of inflammatory mediators by inhibiting the COX and LOX pathways. This mechanism is one of the reasons why Curcumin is known to have anti-inflammatory properties.

Curcumin also affects the permeability of cell walls (lysosomal membrane). The lysosomal membrane is made of a single phospholipid bilayer, and controls the passage of material into and out of lysosomes (membrane-bound cells). The permeability of the lysosomal membrane affects the cell’s ability to handle the process of digesting and excreting cells. Lysosomes have an important role in cellular degradation and the recycling process of old or damaged cells.

Finally, Curcumin also promotes the secretion of steroid hormones. Steroid hormones, such as corticosteroids, which are secreted by the adrenal glands, are responsible for suppressing multiple inflammatory genes that, when activated, contribute to chronic inflammatory diseases.

BOSWELLIA SERATA

The mechanisms of Boswellia include:

• Inhibiting leukotrienes
• Immunomodulation
• Inhibiting Tumour necrosis factor Alpha (TNF-α)
• Regulating vascular integrity
• Effect in both vitro and vivo experiments

Boswellia, or boswellic acid, has exhibited anti-inflammatory properties, demonstrated in both vitro and in vivo. Vivo refers to the studies with living subjects (animals, plants etc) while Vitro refers to the tests on cells/tissues that have been removed from the living organism.

A class of chemical compounds in boswellic acid, called Triterpenes, reduce the synthesis of leukotrienes in neutrophils. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell and leukotrienes are inflammatory chemicals that the body releases after encountering a harmful stimulus.

Boswellia extracts also cause a change in the immune response by regulating t-cells (cells that focuses on specific foreign particles). 

Tumour necrosis factor Alpha (TNF-α) is a potent inflammatory agent. Boswellic acid, like Curcumin, also suppresses the proliferation of tissues at the site of inflammation and inhibits the breakdown of connective tissues caused by TNF-α. In addition, Boswellia has been proven to improve blood circulation to the joints, restoring the integrity of damaged blood vessels.

Summary

Both Curcumin and Boswellia are scientifically proven to have positive effects on inflammatory pathways. Therefore, the supplemental use of these ingredients can be considered effective in supporting joint comfort, reducing the pain and stiffness associated with joint inflammation in horses.

Using supplements that include Boswellia Serrata and Curcumin (such as Kurasyn PB) is a natural yet powerful way to preserve vascular function as well as support normal articular, muscular, and joint functions in horses. 

To maximise the support for your horses' joints, Farm & Stable recommend daily supplementation using Kurasyn 360x and use Kurasyn PB to boost support during periods of additional stress, and activity of after competition.

TRM Kurasyn PB is competition safe under UK guidelines. It comes packaged in a box of 3 equine oral syringes each containing 60ml of paste.