Evaluating the efficiency of different propofol doses associated with age and gender in rats

Aim: To investigate the effect of different intraperitoneal (IP) doses of propofol on the duration and depth of anesthesia according to age and gender. Method: The rats were divided into three main groups according to propofol dose (GI: 5 mg/kg, GII: 10 mg/kg and GIII: 15 mg/kg). These three groups were divided into two subgroups as male and female. (M: Male, F: Female). Male and female groups in each dose group were divided into five different sub-age groups:  1: 2-6 months (0-12 years = Childhood), 2: 7-12 months (12-18 years = Adolescent), 3: 13-18 months (30-45 years = Young adult), 4: 19-24 months (45-60 years = Adult) and 5: older than 25 months (65 years old = Elderly). The duration and depth of anesthesia in different ages and genders were compared statistically. Results:  There were differences with regard to the palpebral, pinch, corneal and muscle tone reflexes at propofol administration doses of 5 mg/kg (GI), 10 mg/kg (GII) and 15 mg/kg (GIII) in different ages and genders (Table 1). We detected that 50 minutes of deep anesthesia was achieved with a dose of 10 mg/kg up to 18 months and older than 24 months male rats. A dose of 10 mg/kg was sufficient for short-term (20-minute deep anesthesia) procedures in male rats aged 19-24 months. We detected that 50 minutes of deep anesthesia was achieved with a dose of 15 mg/kg in 7-12 and 13-18 month old female rats. A dose of 10 mg/kg dose was sufficient for short-term procedures in 0-6 month old female rats. However, only superficial anesthesia was detected at the dose of 15 mg/kg in female rats older than 18 months. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that 10 or 15 mg/kg low doses of intraperitoneal propofol administration affected the duration and depth of anesthesia in different ages and genders in rats