Evaluation of hematological, biochemical and oxidative stress profile in calves under propofol anesthesia

Propofol is a widely used drug in veterinary medicine to induce anesthesia; as well as the chosen compound for protocols of intravenous anesthesia. The present study aimed to describe the hematological, biochemical and oxidative stress alterations in calves kept under anesthesia by propofol in different dosages. In order to achieve this, eight Holstein calves were induced using propofol in a 5 mg/kg dosage and maintained under continuous propofol infusion for 60 min, having being administered 0.6 mg/kg/h or 0.8 mg/kg/h in crossover design with seven days interval. Blood samples were collected immediately before the anesthesia induction (baseline), and 30 min, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 h after the procedure started. Statistically relevant propofol influence was observed both in blood and biochemical parameters, with differences between dosages according to the time of infusion. The drug action over oxidative stress was also observed, causing a raise of the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) with an uric acid increase. Additionally, the increase of triglycerides, induced by the anesthesia maintenance with propofol, caused lipemia in the samples, which was capable of interfering directly in the measurements made by refractometry and spectrophotometry. It was concluded that, in spite of propofol induced alterations in blood and biochemical parameters, such alterations are subtle. In addition to that, the drug presented an antioxidative effect, which reinstates the safety of anesthesia maintenance with propofol in calves.