Protective effect of etomidate on spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury induced by aortic occlusion in rabbits.
BACKGROUND
We conducted a randomized controlled study on the neuroprotective effect of a commonly used anesthetic, etomidate, in an ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury rabbit model.


METHODS
We studied 24 white adult Japanese rabbits at the animal facility at the Medical College of Wuhan University. Rabbits were randomly assigned into a sham-operation group (group I), an IR group (group II), and an etomidate-treated IR group (group III). Rabbits in groups II and III were subjected to 45 min of infrarenal aortic cross-clamping to induce spinal cord ischemia, while group I rabbits received the sham operation as a control. Following an initial single-dose intravenous injection at 0.6 mg/kg 10 min before aortic clamping, etomidate was infused intravenously at 3mg/(kg . hr) in group III rabbits until unclamping, while 0.9% saline was given as the control in group II.


RESULTS
Changes in neurological function scores, histopathology, electromyography, malondialdehyde levels, superoxide dismutase activities, and the concentrations of Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Cu(2+), and Zn(2+) ions were measured. Compared with the sham-operation group, group II showed significant IR injury-associated changes in all parameters evaluated (p<0.01), whereas these unfavorable changes were significantly reversed in etomidate-treated animals (p<0.05 or p<0.01). No significant differences were observed between group I and group III animals in all parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
Etomidate displayed a potent neuroprotective effect against IR-induced spinal cord injuries. We propose that this effect may be associated with the ability of etomidate to enhance the activities of endogenous antioxidants and maintain the ion balance in IR-affected tissues.
Yu
Qijing
Q
Department of Anesthesiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, China. yqj2566@sina.com
Zhou
Qingshan
Q
Huang
Haibo
H
Wang
Yanlin
Y
Tian
Shufang
S
Duan
Daiming
D
D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001011:Aorta / Q000601:surgery; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004576:Electromyography; D005045:Etomidate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006614:Hindlimb; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008026:Ligation; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D020760:Spinal Cord Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism
D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D000975:Antioxidants; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D003300:Copper; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D008274:Magnesium; D015032:Zinc; D002118:Calcium; D005045:Etomidate