Flavonoids: not just for cancer anymore

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Pharmacology
• Animal Nutrition

Background:

• Growing use of nutraceuticals in veterinary medicine, particularly for cancer adjuvant therapy.
• Over 50% of clients with cancer-diagnosed pets use supplements, with 65% veterinarian approval.
• Limited safety data exists for nutraceuticals, with some human formulations proving toxic to pets, like lipoic acid in cats.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the need for better understanding of nutraceutical metabolism and safe usage limits in pets.
• To focus on the safety and metabolism of two common flavonoids: epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) and genistein.
• To provide veterinarians with essential information for advising clients on nutraceutical use.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing scientific literature on nutraceuticals, focusing on flavonoids.
• Analysis of metabolism and safety profiles of epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) and genistein.
• Examination of potential toxicity and safe upper dosage limits for companion animals.

Main Results:

• Clients are increasingly using nutraceuticals, but veterinarian knowledge on safe use is limited.
• Human-formulated supplements can pose risks to pets, highlighting the need for species-specific data.
• Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) and genistein are common flavonoids requiring further safety evaluation in veterinary patients.

Conclusions:

• Veterinarians require comprehensive data on nutraceutical safety and metabolism to guide clients effectively.
• Understanding the risks associated with human-formulated supplements is crucial for preventing adverse events in pets.
• Further research into the safe and effective use of specific nutraceuticals like EGCG and genistein is warranted in veterinary practice.