In case it helps, here’s some info I found about Pentosan, and Pentosan vs Adequan:
Studies about managing joint disease in horses: http://www.ker.com/library/proceedings/10/Management%20of%20Joint%20Disease%20in%20the%20Sport%20Horse.pdf
http://www.equineortho.colostate.edu/pdf/pentosan_polysulfate.pdf
Interesting that they found no benefit to IM Adequan (but good results for IA). However, they did report positive results with IM Pentosan and oral Cosequin ASU.
IM Adequan
“Intramuscular PSGAG has become a popular treatment, but a study using intramuscular PSGAG (500 mg every 4 days for 7 treatments) showed relatively insignificant effects with treatment (limited to slightly improved GAG staining in sodium monoiodoacetate joints when PSGAG was used) (Yovich et al., 1987). In a more recent experimental study in which intramuscular PSGAG was used as a positive control (administered every fourth day for 28 days starting 14 days post osteoarthritis induction), decreased GAG levels in the serum 14 days post-treatment (a marker of disease in this osteoarthritis model) was the only significant beneficial effect (Frisbie et al., 2009b). However, there was more impressive improvement in the third test group (shock wave therapy group).”
“… it now appears that there is very weak evidence for clear-cut efficacy with intramuscular administration”
IM Pentosan
“Recent work from our laboratory has demonstrated favorable results. Using the carpal osteochondral fragment-exercise model of equine osteoarthritis, there was significant decrease in articular cartilage fibrillation (p< 0.5) and a strong trend (p= 0.6) for improvement in overall cartilage histologic appearance (modified Mankin score). Furthermore, most other parameters showed numerical improvements (including lameness, joint flexion, synovial fluid TP, synovial fluid collagen degradation products, and aggrecan synthesis), although statistical significance less than 0.05 was not obtained. In this study, PPS was given at a dose of 3 mg/kg body weight once weekly for 4 weeks”
Cosequin ASU
"Recently, another experimental study using the CSU equine osteoarthritis model has demonstrated value for an oral supplement containing soy and avocado (ASU). This is the first well-controlled scientific study demonstrating a positive effect with an oral nutraceutical (Kawcak et al., 2007). The study was a blinded, experimentally controlled, randomized block design that used 16 horses in an established model of osteoarthritis. On day 0 of the study, arthroscopic surgery was performed and osteoarthritis was induced unilaterally in the middle carpal joint of all horses. Also on day 0, horses were divided into two treatment groups: placebo-control group and ASU-treatment group. The placebo-control group received molasses orally one time daily, whereas the ASU-treated group received 6 grams of ASU plus a similar volume of molasses orally; both treatments were continued throughout the study period. On day 14, horses began and continued treadmill exercise for the remaining 8 weeks of the study. All horses completed the study, and no adverse events were recorded. At the termination of the study, horses treated with ASU were observed to have significantly improved total gross examination score (articular cartilage erosion plus synovial membrane hemorrhage score in their osteoarthritis joint compared to placebocontrol horses).
There was also significant decrease in intimal hyperplasia in the synovial membrane as well as decrease in the cartilage disease score. There was a trend for decreased lameness. However, significant decrease in the cartilage disease points this product towards that of being a disease-modifying osteoarthritic drug (DMOAD), which is good. Although the improvements were modest, they were more significant than those seen with other parenteral (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan and intravenous HA) and oral (HA) products tested using the same model of equine osteoarthritis."
