Propofol: use, toxicology and assay features

Chernova A.P.; Shormanov V.K.; Davydkina A.E.

doi:https://doi.org/10.17116/sudmed20226505146

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Abstract:

The study objective is to review the literature on the use, pharmacological properties, toxicology, and assay methods for intravenous anesthetic propofol. The scope and forms of propofol use, its pharmacokinetics, biotransformation features, which occurs more than 90% in the liver, and side effects associated with propofol use for anesthesia, are addressed. Propofol infusion syndrome (also known as PrIS) and deaths from propofol overdose due to medical errors, abuse, suicide attempts, and homicide are reported. Propofol identification and assay methods based on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and liquid chromatography (LC) are described. The features of the methods performance are outlined; biological materials (the study objects) are listed: mainly blood and plasma, as well as urine, bile, hair, etc. The relevance of a comprehensive forensic chemical study of propofol is indicated, though there are few forensic studies of propofol.

Keywords:

propofol

anesthetics

infusion syndrome

toxicity

lethal poisoning

identification and assay

Authors:

Chernova A.P.

National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University

ORCID: 0000-0001-7002-492X

Shormanov V.K.

Kursk State Medical University

ORCID: 0000-0001-8872-0691

Davydkina A.E.

National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University

ORCID: 0000-0003-3905-6370

Received:

19.02.2022

Accepted:

02.03.2022

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References:

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