Central depressant effects and toxicity of propofol in chicks

Abstract

Propofol is an ultra-short acting anesthetic agent. The information on the pharmacological and toxicological effects of propofol in the chicken is rather limited. This study examines the toxicity and pharmaco-behavioral effects of propofol given intraperitoneally in 7–10 day-old chicks. The median effective doses of propofol for the induction of sedation, analgesia to electric stimulation and sleep in the chicks were 1.82, 2.21 and 5.71 mg/kg, respectively. The 24-h median lethal dose of propofol in chicks was 57.22 mg/kg. The therapeutic indices of propofol for sedation, analgesia and sleep were 31.4, 25.9 and 10, respectively. Propofol at 0.5 and 1 mg/kg reduced the locomotor activity and increased the duration of tonic immobility in chicks. Propofol at 2 and 4 mg/kg caused analgesia to electric stimulation as well as analgesia and anti-inflammatory responses against formalin test in chicks. Propofol at 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg induced sleep in chicks for 8.4 to 25 min. Physostigmine shortened the sleep duration of propofol. Data suggest that propofol induces anti-inflammatory action and central nervous system depression in chicks resulting in sedation, analgesia and anesthesia with wide safety margin. These effects could form the basis of further pharmacological and toxicological studies on propofol in the young chick model, and the drug could be safely applied clinically in the chicken.

Comparative study of midazolam-propofol and metamizole-propofol clinical effects in domestic pigeons

“…The results of another study showed that smooth and desirable induction and recovery could be achieved by propofol (11,18). Another study compared the effect of metamizole-propofol and fentanyl-propofol on pedal and pinch reflexes in rabbits.…”

Methods of Pain Assessment in Chicks as a Model

“…For increasing community the up or down in voltage causing pain reaction was determined. Usually, The threshold for successful analgesic reaction became apparent within 2s ust after electrical stimulation [1,46].…”

“…Formalin test [47] Based on this test, pain is caused by a chemical irritant at a certain concentration in the sole of the foot and, as a result, we can induce pain and inflammation in the region injected [46][47][48]. The injection of 0.05 ml of 0.1 % formalin solution into the right foot sole part.…”

Evaluation of the Anesthetic Action of Alfaxalone in Chicks and Compared with Alfaxalone/ketamine or Alfaxalone/xylazine.

“…It corresponds to a degree of the influence of a drug, being the dose of a drug necessary to yield 50% of that drug's maximal effect of alfaxalone for the anesthetic induction in young chicks. The initiation of anesthesia was described as a lack of righting reflex until the chicks were softly put on one face [22,23]. In the beginning, the dose that leads to anesthesia was fixed and one chick was injected with this dose intraperitoneally, after which the result was determined, which is analgesia or not and the rate of increase or decrease in the dose of alfaxalone was Subsequent to a fixed amount of 0.2 mg / kg b.w and by repeating this method by ascending and descending the dose to a number of chicks (we evaluate 3 chicks after change in pharmacological effect from anesthetic to non-anesthetic effect or vice versa) , enabling us to calculate the median effective dose (ED 50 ) of alfaxalone based on the table mentioned [24] and Using the following equation, ED 50 = Xf + Kd Whereas Xf = the last dose used in the experiment.…”