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Updated: Jul 6, 2025
Assessing Changes in Volatile General Anesthetic Sensitivity of Mice after Local or Systemic Pharmacological Intervention
Published on: October 16, 2013
Effects of continuous intravenous infusion with propofol on intestinal metabolites in rats
Jiaying Li1, Zhongjie Zhang1, Hongyu Liu1
1Department of Anesthesiology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, P.R. China.
Abstract:
Microbial metabolites play an important role in regulating intestinal homeostasis and immune responses. Propofol is a common anesthetic in clinic, but it is not clear whether it affects intestinal metabolites in rats. Tail vein puncture was performed after adaptive feeding for 1 month in eight 2-month-old rats and they were given continuous intravenous infusion of propofol for 3 h. The feces of rats were divided into different groups based on time periods, with before and after anesthesia with propofol on days 1, 3 and 7 labeled as groups P, A1, A3 and A7, respectively. The effect of continuous intravenous infusion with propofol on rat fecal metabolites was determined using the non-targeted metabolomics technique gas chromatography coupled with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer analysis. The types and contents of metabolites in rat feces were changed after continuous intravenous infusion with propofol, but the changes were not statistically significant. The contents of the metabolites 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid and palmitic acid increased from day 3 to 7, and it was shown that the two metabolites were positively correlated at a statistically significant level. Linoleic acid decreased to its lowest level on day 3, and it returned to pre-anesthesia level on day 7. At the same time, linoleic acid metabolism was a metabolic pathway that was co-enriched 7 days after infusion with propofol. Spearman correlation analysis showed that there was significant correlation between some differential metabolites and differential microorganisms. It was observed that zymosterol 1, cytosin and elaidic acid were negatively correlated with Alloprevotella in the A3 vs. P group. In the A7 vs. P group, cortexolone 3 and coprostan-3-one were positively correlated with Faecalibacterium, whilst aconitic acid was negatively correlated with it. In conclusion, the present study revealed statistically insignificant effects of continuous intravenous propofol on the intestinal metabolites in rats.
Insights
Propofol anesthesia minimally impacted rat gut metabolites, with some minor changes observed in specific compounds like 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid and linoleic acid over time. These shifts showed no statistical significance, suggesting limited effects on intestinal homeostasis.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Anesthesiology
- Microbiome Research
Background:
- Microbial metabolites are crucial for intestinal homeostasis and immune function.
- Propofol is a widely used anesthetic, but its impact on gut metabolites remains unclear.
- Understanding propofol's effects is vital for patient care and managing potential side effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of continuous intravenous propofol infusion on rat fecal metabolites.
- To analyze changes in metabolite profiles and identify specific compounds affected by propofol.
- To explore correlations between altered metabolites and gut microbiota.
Main Methods:
- Eight rats received continuous intravenous propofol infusion for 3 hours.
- Fecal samples were collected before anesthesia (P) and at 1, 3, and 7 days post-infusion (A1, A3, A7).
- Non-targeted metabolomics using gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS) was employed.
Main Results:
- Propofol administration led to changes in fecal metabolite types and contents, though these were not statistically significant.
- 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid and palmitic acid levels increased from day 3 to 7, showing a significant positive correlation.
- Linoleic acid decreased by day 3, returning to baseline by day 7, with its metabolism pathway being co-enriched 7 days post-infusion.
Conclusions:
- Continuous intravenous propofol exhibited statistically insignificant effects on rat intestinal metabolites.
- Specific metabolites and their correlations with gut microorganisms were identified, warranting further investigation.
- The study provides insights into propofol's subtle impact on the gut metabolome.
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