In the current study, we compared the therapeutic effects
of a non-steroidal and a steroidal anti-inflammatory drug on
the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1β
(IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-12p40 (IL-12p40), interferon
gamma (IFNγ), and tumor necrosis factor alpha
(TNF-α) in the blood of water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) calves
naturally infected by bronchopneumonia. Twenty-seven buffalo
calves (7±2-month-old,163±12kg) reared in smallholder farms
in El-Dakahlia province in Egypt were identified to have bronchopneumonia
and randomly allocated into three equal groups.
Ten clinically healthy buffalo calves with negative bronchoalveolar
lavage results were served as negative control. Diseased
calves were treated with tulathromycin alone, a combination of
tulathromycinwith dexamethasone (steroidal anti-inflammatory
drug) or tulathromycin with flunixin meglumine (non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drug). The results revealed significant elevations
(P < 0.05) in the production of selected cytokines in all
diseased calves in comparison with healthy animals. Six days
post-treatment, a significant inhibition (P < 0.05) in the production
of all assessed cytokines was observed in the blood of all
treated calves. Interestingly, the serum concentrations of IL-1β
and IL-12p40 were returned to the normal levels in pneumonic
calves treatedwith the combination therapy of tulathromycin and
flunixin meglumine. A strong significant positive correlation
(P < 0.05) was detected between clinical sum scoring and IL-
12p40 and TNF-α concentrations. The obtained results indicate
the selectively potent anti-inflammatory effect of flunixin
meglumine on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in
pneumonic buffalo calves and highlight the efficacy of flunixin
meglumine in the treatment of bronchopneumonia in buffalo
calves when used in combination with tulathromycin.