Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Sevoflurane and fentanyl exert protective effect on cognitive function in aged rats via regulation of inflammatory response in the brain

Xin Zhao¹, Peixiang Li²

¹First Department of Anesthesiology, Cangzhou Central Hospital, Hebei 061001; ²Anesthesia Department, Linzi District People's Hospital, Huangonglu 139, Linzi, Zibo, Shandong 255400, China.

For correspondence:- Peixiang Li Email: rx1169@163.com

Accepted: 29 April 2019 Published: 31 May 2019

Citation: Zhao X, Li P. Sevoflurane and fentanyl exert protective effect on cognitive function in aged rats via regulation of inflammatory response in the brain. Trop J Pharm Res 2019; 18(5):961-965 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v18i5.8

© 2019 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the effects of sevoflurane and fentanyl on cognitive function in aged rats, and to determine the mechanism of action.

Methods: A total of 160 adult male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to four groups of 40 rats each. With the exception of control, the rats were surgically operated on. Sevoflurane group received sevoflurane (2 %) via inhalation for 2 h/day for 7 days, while the fentanyl group received fentanyl (50 µg/kg body weight) for 1 h via their tail veins for 7 days. The cognitive function of the rats was evaluated by shuttle box and Morris water maze (MWM) tests, while interleukin-6 (IL-6), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were evaluated using ELISA kits.

Results: The learning and memory latencies of the rats were significantly prolonged in surgery, with prolongation greater in sevoflurane and fentanyl groups than in control group; however, the latencies were significantly shorter in sevoflurane and fentanyl groups than in surgery group (p < 0.05). The levels of VEGF, IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly higher in the surgery, sevoflurane and fentanyl groups than in control group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Sevoflurane and fentanyl improve cognitive function in aged rats via a mechanism involving the regulation of inflammatory response in the brain.

Keywords: Sevoflurane, Fentanyl, Aged rats, Cognitive function, Inflammatory factors