Effects of propofol on lactate accumulation and oedema formation in focal cerebral ischaemia in hyperglycaemic rats

• Published in: British journal of anaesthesia : BJA Vol. 88; no. 3; pp. 412 - 417
• Main Authors: Ishii, H., Arai, T., Segawa, H., Morikawa, S., Inubushi, T., Fukuda, K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2002; Oxford University Press; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: anaesthestics i.v., propofol; Anesthetics, Intravenous - therapeutic use; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - metabolism; Brain Edema - etiology; Brain Edema - metabolism; Brain Edema - prevention & control; Brain Ischemia - complications; Brain Ischemia - metabolism; brain, ischaemia; Hyperglycemia - complications; Hyperglycemia - metabolism; Lactic Acid - metabolism; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Male; measurement techniques, nuclear magnetic resonance; Medical sciences; metabolism, hyperglycaemia; metabolism, lactate; Neuropharmacology; Neuroprotective agent; Neuroprotective Agents - therapeutic use; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Propofol - therapeutic use; rat; Rats; Rats, Inbred SHR; metabolism, lactate; measurement techniques, nuclear magnetic resonance; rat; brain, ischaemia; metabolism, hyperglycaemia; anaesthestics i.v., propofol; anaesthestics i.v., propofol; rat; brain, ischaemia; metabolism, hyperglycaemia; metabolism, lactate; measurement techniques, nuclear magnetic resonance; Nervous system diseases; Rat; Rodentia; Cardiovascular disease; Neuroprotective agent; Cerebral disorder; Vascular disease; Lactates; Vertebrata; Chemotherapy; Hyperglycemia; Mammalia; Treatment; General anesthetic; Ischemia; Animal; Central nervous system disease; Propofol; Cerebral edema; Cerebrovascular disease; Brain (vertebrata)
• ISSN: 0007-0912; 1471-6771
• DOI: 10.1093/bja/88.3.412

In cerebral ischaemia, hyperglycaemia brings about severe lactate accumulation and neuronal damage when compared with normoglycaemia. Propofol has been known to suppress glucose metabolism in the brain and possess neuroprotective properties in cerebral ischaemia. Therefore, in this study we examined if propofol could attenuate lactate accumulation and neuronal damage in cerebral ischaemia under hyperglycaemic conditions. Ten male wistar rats were divided into two experimental groups: low-dose (∼12 mg kg−1 h−1) and high-dose (∼60 mg kg−1 h−1) propofol groups (n=5 for each). Following injection of 2 g kg−1 glucose intraperitoneally, the middle cerebral artery was occluded for 1 h, and then reperfused for the following 2 h. Lactate accumulation and oedema formation were estimated consecutively using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques. Lactate accumulation and oedema formation increased continuously during ischaemia and reperfusion in the low-dose propofol group, which was attenuated in the high-dose propofol group. Lactate/NAA (N-acetylaspartate) ratio (as an index of lactate accumulation) 60 and 120 min after reperfusion were 2.67 and 3.26 in low-dose group and 0.30 and 0.10 in high-dose group. For NMR images the number of pixels with a low average diffusion coefficient (an index of the oedema formation), 60 and 120 min after reperfusion were 250.0 and 317.8 in low-dose group, and 16.0 and 12.4 in high-dose group. High-dose propofol attenuated lactate accumulation and oedema formation in cerebral ischaemia in hyperglycaemic rats.