Propofol Attenuates Pulmonary Injury Induced by Collapse and Reventilation of Lung in Rabbits

Propofol is an anesthetic drug with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We previously found that propofol attenuated lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in rabbits. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of propofol on lung injury caused by collapse and reventilation in rabbits. The wet/dry weight ratio of the lung, lung injury scores, percentage of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, albumin concentration, malondialdehyde, and interleukin-8 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were significantly increased in both lungs of the reventilation group. The degree of increase in these parameters was more significant in the right (reventilated) than in the left (non-reventilated) lung. Propofol attenuated these changes. These findings suggest that reventilation of a collapsed lung can cause injury in the contralateral non-reventilated lung as well as the reventilated lung. Propofol may provide a beneficial effect on lung injury induced by collapse and reventilation of the lung.