The effect of ketamine on acute muscular ischaemia reperfusion in rats

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate any possible protective effect of ketamine in acute muscular ischaemia and reperfusion injury by measuring malondialdehyde using thiobarbituric acid assay in rats. METHODS: Twelve female Wistar albino rats were anaesthetized with chloral hydrate and randomly assigned into two groups to receive ketamine 1 mg kg(-1) min(-1) or saline infusion. Blood and gastrocnemius muscle samples were obtained 10 min after onset of infusion, before ischaemia. Then, femoral arteries were clamped for 30 min. Blood and muscle samples were obtained at the 30th minute of ischaemia and 10 min after reperfusion. RESULTS: Muscle malondialdehyde concentrations were 27.88 +/- 2.45, 27.62 +/- 3.98 before ischaemia, 32.10 +/- 4.19, 30.77 +/- 2.73 in the 30th minute of ischaemia and 44.34 +/- 2.45, 34.83 +/- 2.78 after reperfusion in saline and ketamine-treated rats, respectively (nmol g(-1), mean +/- SD). The muscle malondialdehyde level after reperfusion was lower in ketamine-treated rats compared to saline group (P < 0.002). Plasma malondialdehyde levels were 3.77 +/- 0.16, 3.78 +/- 0.18 before ischaemia, 3.81 +/- 0.25, 4.00 +/- 0.86 at the 30th minute of ischaemia and 4.00 +/- 0.53, 3.94 +/- 0.95 after reperfusion, respectively, in saline and ketamine-treated rats (micromol L(-1), mean +/- SD). The effect of ketamine on muscular malondialdehyde was not observed in concurrent plasma malondialdehyde levels. CONCLUSION: Ketamine was found to attenuate acute ischaemia-reperfusion injury in muscle tissue in rats (muscular protective). Ketamine may attenuate lipid peroxidation in muscle tissue in tourniquet-requiring manoeuvres.