The effect of propofol as an antioxidant agent in intravenous regional anesthesia

Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol. 2006 Oct;28(8):523-6. doi: 10.1358/mf.2006.28.8.1003547.

Abstract

Intravenous regional anesthesia (IVRA) is a technique whereby a tourniquet is used to restrict blood flow to an exsanguinated limb. Propofol was shown to attenuate ischemia-reperfusion damage. We aimed to investigate the effect of low-dose propofol as an antioxidant in this process. Twenty-six unpremedicated adult patients (ASA I-II) were studied. The patients in the control group (Group C, n = 12) were administered 40 ml of 0.5% lidocaine, while the patients in the propofol group (Group P, n = 14) were administered 40 ml of 0.5% lidocaine plus 20 mg propofol for IVRA. Serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and paraoxonase activity were measured at 1 min before, immediately upon, and 30 min after the release of the tourniquet. Serum paraoxonase activity was observed to have a significant decreasing course in both groups (p < 0.01). In contrast, we observed a progressive increase in the serum levels of MDA in Group C (p < 0.05). However, in Group P, serum levels of MDA after the release of the tourniquet periods were significantly lower than that before the release of the tourniquet (p < 0.05). The addition of propofol (20 mg) to lidocaine for IVRA inhibits MDA levels. We conclude that the addition of propofol to lidocaine can be considered as a useful antioxidant in this type of anesthesia.

Publication types

  • Controlled Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anesthesia, Conduction / methods*
  • Anesthetics, Intravenous / administration & dosage
  • Anesthetics, Intravenous / therapeutic use
  • Antioxidants / administration & dosage
  • Antioxidants / therapeutic use*
  • Aryldialkylphosphatase / blood
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lidocaine / administration & dosage
  • Lidocaine / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Malondialdehyde / blood
  • Middle Aged
  • Propofol / administration & dosage
  • Propofol / therapeutic use*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Anesthetics, Intravenous
  • Antioxidants
  • Malondialdehyde
  • Lidocaine
  • Aryldialkylphosphatase
  • Propofol