ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to determine the possible embryotoxic effects of propofol, a general anaesthetic agent that is commonly used in clinical practice, on peripheral blood lymphocytes using enzyme histochemical techniques.

For this purpose, 430 laying hen fertile eggs were used for this study. The eggs were divided into 5 groups as control, solvent-control (saline), 2.5 mg kg−1 propofol, 12.5 mg kg−1 propofol, and 37.5 mg kg−1 propofol, and injections were performed via the air sac just before the incubation. The peripheral blood alpha naphthyl acetate esterase and acid phosphatase-positive lymphocyte ratios were determined on the hatching day.

No statistically significant difference was found between both alpha naphthyl acetate esterase and acid phosphatase-positive lymphocyte ratios of the control and solvent-control groups. However, when compared with the control and solvent-control groups, statistically significant decreases were observed in the peripheral blood alpha naphthyl acetate esterase and acid phosphatase-positive lymphocyte ratios of the chicks from the propofol-injected groups. Besides, the difference between 2.5 mg kg−1 and 12.5 mg kg−1 propofol groups is not significant, whereas the difference between these 2 groups and the 37.5 mg kg−1 propofol group was statistically significant (P < .05).

It was concluded that propofol given to fertilised chicken eggs just before incubation caused significant decreases in both the peripheral blood alpha naphthyl acetate esterase and acid phosphatase-positive lymphocyte ratios.

Keywords: Alpha naphthyl acetate esterase, acid phosphatase, chicken embryo, enzyme histochemical methods, propofol