Effect of propofol on oxidative stress in an in vitro model of anoxia-reoxygenation in the rat brain.

Propofol, an intravenous anaesthetic, is similar in chemical structure to the active nucleus of antioxidant substances such as alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E). The present study was designed to test whether propofol had antioxidant effects in an in vitro model of anoxia-reoxygenation in slices of rat brain. We used seven experimental groups: (1) control oxygenated tissue; (2) tissue subjected to anoxia for 20 min and reoxygenation for 3 h; and tissues processed as described and incubated with (3) Intralipid (commercial solvent for propofol), or propofol at a concentration of (4) 10 micromol/l, (5) 50 micromol/l, (6) 150 micromol/l or (7) 300 micromol/l. The production of lipid peroxides was quantified as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS); tissular glutathione production and the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSHpx), glutathione reductase (GSSGrd) and glutathione transferase (GSHtf) were also measured. Reoxygenation led to tissular oxidative stress, which was curtailed by propofol. The anaesthetic led to a 47% reduction in TBARS, a 165% increase in the reperfusion-inhibiting glutathione content, a 47% decrease in GSHpx activity, and an 87% increase in GSHtf activity. Intralipid had no effect on any of the parameters studied here. We conclude that propofol has a clear antioxidant effect in rat brain tissue subjected to anoxia-reoxygenation.