In the present investigation, a total of 12 equines with large colon impaction, and 6 healthy animals’ ages 3 to 12 years, were selected for study. The Impaction colic cases were divided into two treatment groups, T1 and T2, and healthy control group (Hc). The indigenous preparation comprised the seed of Terminalia chebula, was sun-dried and grinded to a fine powder, and was administered @ 10 gm/30 kg body weight orally once daily for three days in T2 groups. Both therapeutic groups T1 and T2 were given the following standard treatment, RL and DNS @ 20 ml/ kg b.wt., Ceftriaxone 10 mg/kg b.wt., Flunixin meglumine 1.1 mg/kg b.wt., Ascorbic acid @ 20ml OD IV, Vitamin B-complex @10 ml OD IM, Antihistamines @ 10 ml OD IM for three days along with 2 litres of enteral liquid paraffin via a nasogastric tube. The therapeutic efficacy of the above therapeutic regimens was evaluated based on clinical recovery in terms of the time of defecation (hrs.) after treatment and improvement in the altered values of the clinical score, hemato-biochemical alterations, and electrolyte values towards normalcy (at par to the values in healthy control equines) on day 3rd after treatment. The blood sample was collected on the day of occurrence of Impaction on day 0 (pre-treatment) and day 3rd (post-treatment). Large colon impaction cases had significantly lower levels of sodium, potassium, chloride, and ionized calcium than the healthy animal group, whereas serum glucose, urea, creatinine, total protein, albumin, alanine ALT, AST, ALP, LDH, GGT, TNF-α, and procalcitonin, found significantly in higher levels. Therapeutic regimen adopted in the treatment of large colon impaction cases under treatment groups T2 in which Terminalia chebula powder (act as prokinetic) was given found to be most efficacious as evident by the improvement in clinical score in terms of the reduced colic sign, hemato-biochemical alteration and improvement in defecation time and gastrointestinal motility. 

Highlights

• The study focused on therapeutic potential of Terminalia chebula on large colon impaction in equines
• Terminalia chebula reduced colic sign, defecation time and increased gastrointestinal motility.
• It may be recommended as adjunct prokinetic therapy in large colon impaction in equine apart from standard treatment.