Protective effects of early treatment with propofol on endotoxin-induced acute lung injury in rats.
BACKGROUND
To investigate the effects of propofol administration on acute lung injury in endotoxin-induced shock in rats.


METHODS
Seventy-six male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to one of five groups: (i) saline control; (ii) endotoxin alone (receiving lipopolysaccharide (LPS) 8 mg kg(-1) i.v.); (iii) pretreatment with propofol 1 h before LPS; (iv) simultaneous treatment with propofol and LPS; (v) post-treatment with propofol 1 h after LPS. During the 5 h after LPS injection, survival rates were recorded. Lung tissue was sampled to measure values of nitrite/nitrates (NO(2-)/NO(3-)) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, and wet-to-dry lung weight ratio, pulmonary permeability index, BAL protein and expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nitrotyrosine (NT).


RESULTS
Compared with the endotoxaemic group, both the pre- and simultaneous treatment groups showed significantly improved 5 h survival rates, and attenuated endotoxin-induced increased BAL fluid NO(2-) /NO(3-) and TNF-alpha, iNOS mRNA and NT expression in lung tissue, and decreased pulmonary microvascular permeability. These beneficial effects were blunted in the post-treatment group.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that early administration of propofol may provide protective effects against endotoxin-induced acute lung injury.
Gao
J
J
Department of Anesthesiology, Union, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei, China. gaoju_003@163.com
Zeng
B X
BX
Zhou
L J
LJ
Yuan
S Y
SY
D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008297:Male; D015742:Propofol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*
D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D015742:Propofol