Use of the nitroblue tetrazolium reduction test for the evaluation of Domperidone effects on the neutrophilic function of healthy dogs

The nitroblue tetrazolium reduction test (NBT) is an assay based on the activation percentage of neutrophils in peripheral blood, that has been proposed for the follow up of canine leishmaniosis owing to the narrow relationship between the molecules involved in the oxidative burst and the leishmanicidal activity of phagocytes. Domperidone is a drug used for the treatment of canine leishmaniosis having been claimed to stimulate the dogs’ cell-mediated immune response. The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree and the lasting of phagocytic activation induced by a 30-day course treatment with Domperidone (0.5 mg/kg/day) in healthy dogs, by using the NBT. A statistically significant increase in the percentages of activated phagocytes was observed in the treated group during treatment, thereafter remaining high for up to one month after the end of treatment. In contrast, untreated dogs maintained the baseline percentage of activated neutrophils all along the study. It is concluded that the NBT is a useful tool for the follow up of the stimulating effects of Domperidone on the neutrophilic response of healthy dogs and that these effects persist for up to one month after treatment with this molecule.