Pentosan polysulfate (PPS) is widely used as therapeutic intervention for joint diseases in humans and animals, while objective confirmation has not been established yet. The purpose of this study was to provide the objective measure of the efficacy of PPS. Twenty-five healthy Mongolian horses were randomly assigned in three groups. Three different doses of PPS, 0/1.2/3.0 mg/kg, were injected intramuscularly one a week for consecutive 4 weeks. On 14 and 28 days after the initial administration,

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... relative ratios of serum COMP/CPII were 97.9/87.6/61.8 and 94.2/104.3/88.1 in 0/1.2/3.0 mg/kg PPS, respectively. The results revealed that balance of cartilage metabolism could be significantly brought to an anabolism dominant state by PPS injections in dose dependent manor in field fed horses in Mongolia.