Effects of repeated high dosage of sevoflurane and chloral hydrate anesthesia on hepatocellular system in rats

The present study was intended to explore the possible effect of the repeated dose of the sevoflurane and chloral hydrate anesthesia on the hepatocellular system in the rats. The Sprague Dawley [30 rats] were used for the experimental study, and the rats were randomly divided into following groups; group I: normal control, group II: chloral hydrate and group III: sevoflurane. The biochemical parameters such as aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alanine aminotransferase [ALT], total bilirubin [T-BIL] and alkaline phosphatase [ALP]; antioxidant parameters such as glutathione peroxidase [GSH-Px], superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [CAT] and glutathione transferase [GST] were also estimated. At end of the study, the rats were sacrificed and the liver was subjected to the histopathological examination. Additionally, the level of Bcl-2 and Bax and caspase-3 were also scrutinized. Results suggest that, the serum level of ALP, AST and ALT in the group II and III, which was significantly modulated in comparison with the control for its possible involvement in liver damage. This was proved by the histopathological evaluation of liver with the presence of abnormal microstructure. The antioxidant marker such as GSH-Px, SOD, CAT and GST activity was found to be significantly reduced, whereas, the level of the TBARS was found to be significantly increased in the group II and III as compared to group I. Moreover, the administration of the sevoflurane and chloral hydrate induces the hepatic apoptsis accompanied by the down-regulation of the expression of Bcl-2 and unregulated Bax expression together with Bcl-2/Bax ratio. The expression of caspase-3 was also found to be elevated. Therefore, it has been suggested that, sevoflurane and chloral hydrate anesthesia in repeated dose could generate the considerable hepatotoxicity.