Most of us can agree that a substance like phenybutazone is a drug -- that it is an analgesic (pain killer) and a NSAID (nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug). Most will agree that it should not be used in competition to mask pain in horses so that it can continue to perform. After this collusion of opinion on substances like "bute", agreement and understanding of what is a drug and what we should do about them deteriorates rapidly.

Much confusion seems to have been generated due to the lack of definition as to what is a drug and what is a nutrient. A drug is a substance that has a physiological effect THAT IS NOT A NUTRIENT. All nutrients are included in one of six classes: water, carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals. Certainly, nutrients have a physiological effect or we would not be engaging in this discourse. Since AERC rule 13 addresses drugs, it by definition is not intended to regulate nutrients.

People generally request a list of allowables and non-allowables with withdrawals times for substances in each group. A complete list can not be provided for it does not exist -- and if it did it would be out of date tomorrow. The range of substances fed to horses to "enhance performance" is too large and changes too rapidly.

Without question, the role that additives, herbs, and nutriceuticals play creates our greatest areas of confusion. Let me give you three examples. In the late 19th century, an English midwife achieved some success in treating people with "dropsy" (accumulation of fluid in the distal extremities or body cavity due to congestive heart failure) with a tea made from the leaves of the purple foxglove, a common member of the figwort family. Many, many years later it was found that the purple foxglove contained the drug, digitalis, which has provided for the effect of the tea. Today, digitalis (digoxin/digitoxin) in liquid and pill form is an available medication. Would you claim that the digitalis in the bottle is a drug while the digitalis in the plant is only a herb? Many of the nutriceuticals also cause problems. Methyl Sulfonyl Methane (MSM) is an antiinflammatory substance with properties similar to Dimethyl Sufoxide (DMSO). It is licensed as a nutritional source of sulfur (a mineral and therefore a nutrient) and not as a drug. Now, sulfur can be bought of a nickel a pound while MSM costs twenty dollars a pound. I propose that you are not feeding MSM to your horse because you feel it is deficient in sulfur.

Lastly, before you run out of patience, let us consider water -- in its solid form, ice. Running water and ice application are common ways in which to cool horses or reduce acute swelling. If ice is applied longer and more directly , it becomes a topical anesthetic which can mask local pain as surely as lidocaine. These examples are only a few that could be used to demonstrate the complexity of the drug isssue. Yet, even for substances on which we can agree are drugs, AERC policy and rules do not prohibit you from using them to aid in the resolution of some affliction of your horse. Just do not use them when they can affect the performance of your horse during competition. These substances then may threaten the health and welfare of the horse which is the primary concern of the AERC or they can unlevel the playing field which can give one competitor an unfair advantage over another.

To this end the AERC prohibits the administration of abnormal substances (bute, isoxuprine, anesthetics, stimulants, depressants, masking agents, etc.) or normal substances in abnormal amounts (anabolic steroids, glucocorticoids, dopamine, epenephrine, etc.) which may be detected during

competition.

<< Is the Yucca that is in the Biotin Plus, that my guys are getting now, a drug? >>

Yucca is a natural source of salicylates, one of which is the same thing as aspirin. Salicylates are in the class of drugs called NSAIDs--which stands for non-steroidal anti-inflamatory drugs.

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A list was published in September 1991 and the permissible list consists of:

Vitamins, Minerals, Electrolytes, Liniments that do not contain materials absorbed into the body

All food stuffs traditionally known as "nutrients", Non-absorbable topical wound dressings

Alcohol, Ice and ice water, Compounds to synchronize estrus

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PROHIBITED MEDICATIONS AND DRUGS

The medications listed below are presented as a guideline as examples of stimulants, depressants, anesthetics, anti-inflammatory agents and drugs that interfere with chemical analysis for recovery of prohibited drugs.

This information is not intended to appear as a complete list of PROHIBITED DRUGS.

STIMULANTS: amphetamine, apomorphine, dexadrine, caffeine, desoxyphedrine, ephedrine, coramine, metrazol, nux vomica, benzedrine, ritalin, epinepherine, etc.

DEPRESSANTS: narcotics, barbituates, tranquilizers, chloral hydrate, morphine derivatives and substitutes, phenothiazine, and its derivatives, etc.

ANESTHETICS: zylocaine, butacaine, carbocaine, benzocaine, procaine, etc. Note that procaine is commonly included with penicillin.

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY: butazolidin, phenylbutazone, oxyphenbutazone, arquel (meclofenamic acid), Equiproxen (Naproxen), etc.

OTHER: steroids and corticosteroids such as cortisone, hydrocortisone, prednisone, prenisolone, methylprednisolone, flouroprednisolone, and dexamethasone, etc.; polyethylene glycol (a drug carrier); etc.

You should assume that all of the above, plus their close relatives, are prohibited. Also, there have been some additions since that time, such as some alternative methodologies, etc. that obviously won't test but just the same are prohibited. Conversely, there are some nutraceuticals that don't test, and are not prohibited, such as the chondroitan sulfates, glucosamines, and their relatives...although it would be illegal to "inject" any of the above once the horse has been vetted in and before the horse has received a completion.

Because tests are becoming more sophisticated, the AERC procedure for follow up on all positive drug tests requires that the information go to the Vet Committee for their evaluation of the levels of the findings. The VC then sends its assessment to the P&G Committee and it is then determined if a protest will be lodged. If the levels found in a positive test are determined to be so low that they are *not of therapeutic value*, it is unlikely that a protest would proceed.

Hopefully, this check and balance system will protect both the integrity of the AERC Drug Policy and the integrity of a member whose horse may test positive weeks (and maybe months) after given a drug.