European Journal of Anatomy

Official Journal of The Spanish Society of Anatomy
Cover Volume 20 - Number 4
Eur J Anat, 20 (4): 319-328 (2016)

Magnesium sulphate protect against propofol-induced neurotoxicity in developing ratsā?? cerebral cortex

Ahmed S. Sadek1, Akram M. Amer2, Rehab T. Khattab1, Azza M. Youssef2

1Anatomy and Embryology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Egypt, 2Anesthesia Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Egypt

ABSTRACT Propofol-induced neurotoxicity in developing brain is an evolving problem. Magnesium is proved to be neuro-protective when administered antenatally in case of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. The aim of this work is to investigate the protective role of magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) against propofol-induced neurotoxicity in developing ratsā?? cerebral cortex (CC). Forty albino rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain aged 5 to 7 days were divided into four groups; Control group (Group A); MgSO4 group (Group B) receiving MgSO4 at a dose of 270 mg\kg; Propofol group (Group C) receiving propofol at a dose of 20 mg\kg; and Propofol+ MgSO4 group (Group D) receiving both drugs simultaneously. All drugs were given by intra-peritoneal (IP) injection. 48 hours following exposure, blood samples were collected from rats for cytochrome-c plasma assay. Also, Specimens from ratsā?? CC were processed for light microscopic examination. An immune-histo-chemical study was conducted using Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (BAX).Propofol administration led to disruption of the cortical laminar architecture, with a significant decrease in the number of pyramidal cells. Also, GFAP and BAX immune-stained sections revealed a significant increase in the area percentage of their immune-reaction as compared to the control group, together with a significant increase in the serum level of cytochrome-c. Administration of MgSO4 with propofol could improve the histological picture of the cortex, including its laminar appearance and neuronal density. Also MgSO4 could decrease GFAP and BAX immune-reaction, with no change that could be noticed in the serum level of cytochrome-c. MgSO4 could be used as neuro-protective agent against propofol-induced cortical injury in infant rats.

Keywords: Magnesium sulphate, Propofol, Neuro-protective, Cytochrome-c

European Journal of anatomy
ISSN 2340-311X (Online)