Drugs for doping

DRUGS FOR DOPING 

One of the important duties of a veterinarian is to check the health status of animals during racing and during sports like bullfight. In this aspect he has to check if the animal has been doped.

Doping is defined as the administration to an animal of any substance, other than a normal nutrient, for the purpose of affecting its speed, stamina, courage or conduct in a race. It may be considered under, four headings as doping to win, therapeutic doping, doping to lose and doping by accident.

  • Doping to win: This consists of administration to the horse of some drug that will enhance its racing performance. These substances fall into two categories – stimulants and tonics. A stimulant in this connection is a compound such as caffeine or amphetamine that has a direct immediate effect on the heart or the CNS. It must be administered within an hour or two of the start of the race. The second form of doping to win is the continuous administration of some form of tonics in the hope of building up a better, stronger animal. Vitamins, hormones and anabolic steroids fall into this category.
  • Therpeutic doping: This resembles doping to win  that it involves the use of a drug to increase the animal’s speed, but its aim is not to increase this to some artificially high values, but to restore it to its normal level from which illness or accident has caused it to deteriorate. Thus procaine may be given to mitigate the effects of lameness, phenylbutazone to treat arthritic conditions or a tranquilizer to calm an obstreperous animal.

Both doping to win and therapeutic doping are regarded as “inside jobs”, carried out by the trainer or someone in his immediate employ.

  • Accidental doping : This consists of the inadvertent administration of some drug which would be considered as dope if given deliberately. Alkaloids like nicotine is an example are examples of accidental doping.
  • Doping to lose: This is done by administration of a depressant. The drug may be given at any time during the 24 or 48 hours before the race. It is usually regarded as “outside job”.

Drugs used in doping include:

  • Central nervous system depressants: In this group the most commonly used are tranquillisers. Phenothiazine derivatives like acepromazine and chlorpromazine are used. Benzodiazepines are also commonly used. In addition to the tranquillisers, xylazine, morphine and other opioid analgesics, barbiturates and other hypnotic drugs are used for doping.
  • Drugs affecting the autonomic functions: Beta blockers, parasympathomimetics and parasympatholytics are used for doping.
  • Neuromuscular blockers: These drugs cause a marked muscular relaxation and loss of muscle power and are sometimes used for doping.
  • Diuretics: Diuretics such as furosemide that increase potassium excretion are sometimes used for dopoing.
  • Gastrointestinal drugs: Laxatives and purgatives are also used for doping.
    • Drugs causing cardiorespiratory depression: Drugs like lidocaine are used for doping.
    • Metabolic depressors: Drugs like antithyroid are used.
  • Other groups: Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, local anaesthetics, cardiorespiratory stimulants, hormones etc. are also used for doping.
Last modified: Tuesday, 18 October 2011, 6:50 AM