Effects of low dose propofol on inflammatory responses to lipopolysaccharide-induced shock in conscious rats

ABSTRACT

Acute kidney injury [AKI] is a major culprit of mortality in endotoxemia. Propofol has been commonly used in critically ill patients for sedation. This experiment attempted to elucidate the effects and possible mechanisms of propofol on AKI induced by endotoxin shock. Expermentations were carried out wing anesthetized, ventilated rats and isolated perfused kidneys. Endotoxemia was induced by intraperetoneal [i.p] injection of lipopolysaccharide [LPS, 15 mg kg-1]. Subhypnotic dosage of propofol [40 mg/kg] was injected by i.p. route to study its action on LPS induced-endotoxemia in rats. The rats were randomly assigned into five groups of 8 rats each [FIG 1]. Kidney pathology was evaluated to quantify the kidney injury score. Plasma tumor necrosis factor alpha, [TNF alpha] and interleukin-10[IL-10] were examined. Post treatment of propofol at low or high dose attenuated or prevented the extent of Am. It also reduced the plasma level of TNF alpha, and IL-10. Our results suggest that propofol exerts protective effect on the endotoxin-induced AKI. In addition, propofol abrogates the microvascular leakage of water and protein in the kidneys. The results imply that the use of propofol in critically ill is not only for sedation, but also useful for the prevention of inflammatory progression and organ damage