Effect of propofol on NRF2 and thiol-disulfide in rats with abdominal trauma

Blunt abdominal trauma is a significant type of injury that triggers oxidative damage and an inflammatory response in abdominal organs. In this process, thiol/disulfide homeostasis, a key indicator of redox balance—a fundamental component of cellular defense—along with Nrf2, are meaningful biomarkers for assessing the severity and systemic effects of the trauma. Propofol, known for its antioxidant properties, is a pharmacological agent considered to potentially mitigate the oxidative stress response following trauma. However, the early-stage effects of propofol following trauma have not yet been fully characterized.This study aimed to evaluate the effects of propofol administration on serum thiol/disulfide balance and Nrf2 levels in rats subjected to experimental blunt abdominal trauma. Our findings indicated that despite the trauma, no significant change occurred in the serum thiol/disulfide and Nrf2 parameters, and propofol administration also did not lead to a discernible difference in these biomarkers. These results suggest that the severity of the trauma might have been insufficient to initiate a systemic oxidative stress response, or that the potential antioxidant effects of propofol may manifest at the tissue level rather than in the serum during the early period. The lack of a significant difference between sexes supports the notion that propofol metabolism is not gender-sensitive in this model. In conclusion, the study demonstrates a limited effect of propofol on the early oxidative stress response following blunt abdominal trauma and highlights the need for further studies, supported by tissue analyses, at later stages to obtain more pronounced results.