Protective role of propofol against hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury and its effect on some biochemical indicators in rabbits

AIM: To investigate the protective role of propofol against hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) and the effect of propofol on some biochemical indicators in rabbits in vivo. METHODS: Forty rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups with 10 animals each. They were HIRI model group(group A), HIRI plus 2 mL/(kg·h) normal sodium group(group B), HIRI plus 8 mg/(kg·h) propofol group (group C), and sham operation group (group D). The activity of succinodehydrogenase (SDH), ATP content in hepatic tissue and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase( AST) content were assayed after reperfusion for 30 min and 60 min. RESULTS: SDH activity in hepatic tissue in group A and B decreased significantly compared with that in group D(P0.05) and there was no difference between group C and D(P0.05) after reperfusion for 30 min and 60 min; ATP content in hepatic tissue decreased in group A,B,C compared with group D(P 0.05), but the decreased degree of group C was much smaller than group A and B at the same time(P0.05);serum ALT,AST levels increased in group A,B,C compared with group D(P0.01, P0.05). CONCLUSION: Propofol can enhance the activity of SDH in mitochondria during ischemia-reperfusion and increase the ATP content in hepatic tissue,thus showing the protective effect against HIRI.