ergothioneeine modulates interleukin-6 serum concentration in arabian stallions following a two thousand meterm race at maximum speed in a hot-dry environment

This experiment was performed to determine the effect of ergothioneine’s effect on serum interleukin-6 (il-6) concentrations after a race of 2000 m in arabian stallions at the highest possible speed in a hot-dry environment. twenty-four apparently healthy stallions of the arabian breed were used. the average weight and age of the horses were 401 ± 32.11 kg and 5.7 ± 0.54 years, respectively. the experimental subjects were split assigned into three units groups of eight stallions each. group 1 (exen) was neither treated with ergothioneine nor exercised. group ii (exec) was not treated with ergothioneine but was exercised. the third group (exee) was treated with ergothioneine per os at a dose rate of 0.02 mg/kg daily for one month prior to the experiment. meteorological parameters of the study site were recorded using a dry and wet-bulb thermometer. the stallions in the exec and exee groups were made to run a race of 2000 m at the highest possible speed (60 km/h) by trained riders. samples of blood samples of 10 ml were collected from all stallions before the experiment and immediately after the experiment and two hours post-experiment. the hematological parameters and concentration of il-6 were determined in all samples.  the concentration of il-6 was found to be higher significantly higher in the exee group than in others, suggesting a modulatory role of ergothioneine. therefore, it was concluded that ergothioneine enhanced il-6 following exercise and would be beneficial to for stallions during exercise.