The Protective Effects of Intravenous Anesthetics and Verapamil in Gut Ischemia/Reperfusion-Induced Liver Injury

Abstract

We investigated the protective effects of IV anesthetics and verapamil in gut ischemia/reperfusion-induced liver injury. Forty male Wistar Albino rats were randomly assigned to four groups of 10 rats each. Anesthesia was induced and maintained with propofol in Groups 1 and 3 and with thiopental in Groups 2 and 4 during the experiment. All animals developed intestinal ischemia after occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery for 30 min. Reperfusion was induced by removal of the microvascular clamp and was allowed to continue for 120 min. The animals in Groups 3 and 4 were given verapamil 10 min before reperfusion. Liver and ileum samples were taken for measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA) and histopathologic examination before ischemia and 30 and 120 min after reperfusion. Blood samples were also obtained for measurement of plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 levels. Gut ischemia/reperfusion-induced significant increases in MDA contents of liver and gut and serum cytokines, consistent with histopathologic injury scores. Propofol effectively stabilized the MDA levels and decreased the tissue injury scores of the liver and gut. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 levels increased less in the propofol groups than in the thiopental groups. There was no additive preventive effect of verapamil on propofol. The addition of verapamil to thiopental was effective in decreasing the serum cytokines and liver MDA content. Propofol may offer advantages by inhibiting lipid peroxidation and inflammatory cytokine production in an animal model of gut ischemia/reperfusion-induced liver injury.