Detection of Bisphosphonates Using Metabolomics

A new study, called for in 2019 by the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation found that hair testing can be used to consistently detect bisphosphonates for up to six months after administration. The study was on the use of hair as a matrix for the long-term detection of bisphosphonates in horses, the organization said in a release Thursday. "Over the past few years, bisphosphonate use has become a concern with regard to the welfare of Thoroughbred racehorses," said Jamie Haydon, president of Grayson. "We are very thankful for the generous support...

The Racing Medication & Testing Consortium (RMTC) has announced that it will fund the research proposal, "Detection of Bisphosphonates Using Metabolomics," submitted by Dr. Bethany Keen at the University of Pennsylvania's Equine Testing and Research Laboratory. Dr. Keen's research to date has been conducted in Australia and focused on equine anti-doping, analytical chemistry, and statistics. Metabolomics is an emerging field in doping control and represents a novel testing approach that identifies cellular effects unique to a class of drugs rather than identifying the specific molecule responsible for those effects. "The...