Resverasyn® | The Key Ingredient

Resverasyn^® | Natural. Effective. Safe.  

A growing body of research is paving the way for a new therapy to promote horse health and performance. Research published in multiple research journals demonstrates Thrive Animal Health's proprietary resveratrol ingredient, Resverasyn, supports soundness, metabolic health and a healthy inflammatory response in horses. Resverasyn is an ultra high-purity resveratrol product that has been microencapsulated to promote bioavailability and maximize therapeutic effects in horses and canines.

What is resveratrol?

Resveratrol (trans-3,5,4′-Trihydroxystilbene) belongs to a class of natural compounds called stilbenes. Resveratrol and other stilbenes are small molecules that are rapidly synthesized by plants in response to attacks by bacteria, fungi and predators. Stilbenes presently are the focus of numerous biomedical research studies.

Where does resveratrol come from?

The primary commercial source of resveratrol is a shrub known as Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) that is native to Asia. This plant is cultivated in China where manufacturing firms extract resveratrol from the rhizomes (underground stems) of the shrub. These firms produce Knotweed extracts that have resveratrol concentrations ranging from 20% to 98%. The corresponding percentage of impurities in these resveratrol products ranges from 2% to 80%. One of the impurities in Knotweed-based resveratrol products is a compound called emodin. This impurity has caused serious gastrointestinal distress in many that have used Knotweed-based resveratrol products. Fortunately for you, the consumer, not all products are created equal. 

Resverasyn: Pure, Bioavailable Resveratrol

Numerous research studies and clinical trials on resveratrol administer the compound as the proprietary ingredient Resverasyn, the active ingredient in Equithrive® Joint and Metabarol^®. Resverasyn is composed of 99% pure resveratrol that has been micronized and encapsulated, so it is easily absorbed by the body.

Dr. Patrick Lawless of Thrive Animal Health has pioneered the use of resveratrol in the animal health field.

“Resveratrol must be in a purified and bioavailable formulation in order to be most effective,” he explained.

According to Dr. Lawless, “Each production lot of our trans-resveratrol is analyzed via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to ensure that the product meets our 99% purity specification before it is microencapsulated to become our proprietary product Resverasyn. Microencapsulation increases the bioavailability of resveratrol by allowing more of the molecule to enter the bloodstream so that it can be transported throughout the body for maximum therapeutic effect.”

Without this process, resveratrol can be unstable when exposed to light or oxygen and is rapidly metabolized and excreted before it can reach tissues to exert therapeutic effects.

How can Resverasyn support both joint health and metabolic health in horses?

Inflammation is the primary driving factor in the development and progression of arthritis, a degenerative joint disease that affects approximately 20% of horses. Inflammation is also a contributing factor to insulin resistance or insulin dysregulation in horses, which is the leading risk factor for foundering or laminitis.

Resverasyn has been proven to support healthy levels of inflammation in performance horses and in aging or geriatric horses. The Resverasyn containing product Equithrive Joint has been proven to reduce lameness in horses in a blinded controlled clinical trial performed by researchers at Texas A&M Vet School (Watts et al. 2016). Metabarol, which also contains Resverasyn, has been demonstrated to reduce insulin levels 25-30 % in horses with Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) in research conducted at the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center (study funded by AQHA) (Adams et al. 2013).

How does Resverasyn work differently than NSAIDs?

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Bute, are the conventional treatment for chronic inflammatory conditions. These traditional NSAIDs inhibit the pro-inflammatory COX-2 enzyme once it has already been produced by the body and is causing inflammation in the body’s tissues. Conversely, resveratrol is a proactive therapy that addresses inflammation before it occurs. Resveratrol inhibits a protein (NF-kappaB) that is involved in the production of numerous compounds that cause inflammation in the body, including COX-2 as well as other inflammatory enzymes. The result is that resveratrol administration reduces the concentration of multiple inflammatory mediators in the blood and tissues.

Resveratrol also has the added benefit that it can be used on a long-term daily basis without causing gastrointestinal distress. Most modern NSAIDs are designed to specifically inhibit the pro-inflammatory cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX-2), but they also inhibit the gastro-protective form of the enzyme (COX-1). The COX-1 inhibitory activity of these NSAID products and associated gastrointestinal side effects, including ulcers, make them unsafe for long-term daily use. Unlike traditional NSAIDs, resveratrol does not inhibit gastro-protective COX-1 enzymes.

Our Resversyn containing products Equithrive Joint and Metabarol do not require a prescription from a veterinarian. These products also are compliant with FEI, USEF and racing regulations.