Propofol attenuates acute lung injury after hepatic ischemia/ reperfusion

Objective To investigate the mechanism of acute lung injury after hepatic ischemia / reperfusion and the protective effect of propofol.Method s Forty-eight male SD rats were randomly divided into Sham2 group,Sham6 group; IR2 group (IR2),IR6 group (IR6); P2 group (P2),P6 group (P6).The 1 mg·kg-1·min-1 propofol was infused from 30min before ischemia in P groups,and the same volume sodium lactate Ringer's solution was infused in Sham and IR groups.The concentration of TNF-α,superoxidedimutase(SOD),malondialdehyde(MDA),myeloperosidase(MPO),lung wet/dry weight ratio and lung histological scores were measured at the points of 2 and 6 hour after reperfusion.Results TNF-α levels were higher in IR and P groups than those in sham groups but the values in P groups were lower than those in IR groups.SOD levels decreased greatly in IR groups,there were great difference between P and IR groups.MDA levels increased greatly in IR groups and reached the peak value at 6 hour after reperfusion.MDA levels in P groups were lower than those in IR groups and there were no difference between P and sham groups.The ratio of Wet/dry levels,MPO and lung histological scores were increased greatly after reperfusion in IR and P groups.But the value in P groups was lower than those in IR groups.Conclusions Acute lung injury after hepatic ischemia / reperfusion is mainly induced by the oxidant stress and neutrophil infiltration in lung tissues.Propofol may have effects of antioxidation and decrease neutrophil infiltration which attenuate lung injury induced by hepatic ischemia/reperfusion. Key words: Propofol;  Gastroenterology;  Reperfusion injury