Objective To investigate the effects of ketamine on the effector functions (phagocytosis, respiratory burst and release of proteolytic enzymes) of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated human neutrophils in vitro. Methods Blood samples were collected from healthy volunteers. The study was divided into four groups: LPS group and three ketamine groups (K1, K2 and K3). The final concentration of ketamine in each group was 0, 3, 30 and 300 ?g/ml respectively. Phagocytosis was assessed in whole blood by NBT phagocytosis test (n=8) and respiratory burst by flow cytometry (with dihydrorhodamine 123 as fluorescent marker, n=5). The release of three proteolytic enzymes was measured with isolated polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) by turbidimetry (lysozyme) and chromatometry (elastase and ? glucurolidase) methods (n=9).Results Ketamine dose dependently inhibited phagocytosis, respiratory burst and proteolytic enzyme releasing of LPS stimulated human neutrophils in vitro. Higher concentrations of ketamine were required to suppress respiratory burst as compared with the concentrations needed to suppress phagocytosis and proteolytic enzyme releasing.Conclusions The inhibitory effects of ketamine on the effector functions of LPS stimulated human neutrophils may contribute to the attenuation of neutrophil mediated inflammatory injuries.

Objective To investigate the changes in serum hyaluronic acid level at different periods of experimental piggyback liver transplantation and its significance. Methods Fifteen pairs of healthy pigs of both sexes weighing (28.3 + 5.0)kg undergoing liver transplantation were studied. The donor pigs were slightly smaller than the recipient pigs. The recipient pigs were premedicated with intramuscular ketamine 8mg kg-1 and atropine 0.02mg-kg-1 .Anesthesia was induced with propofol 2mg-kg-1 , fentanyl 0.002mg-kg-1 and vecuronium 0.1mg-kg-1 iv. After tracheal intubation the animals were mechanically ventilated. CVP line was placed via internal jugular vein. Carotid artery was cannulated for continuous BP monitoring. Anesthesia was maintained with iv propofol, fentanyl and vecuronium. Circulatory stability was maintained by infusion of crystalloid, colloid, plasma and whole blood of pig. Blood samples were taken from peripheral vein before operation (T0), pre-anhepatic phase (T1), anhepatic phase (T2) and neohepatic phase (T3) for determination of serum hyaluronic acid concentration by radioimmunoassay. At the same time liver function tests, ALT, AST, y-GT were also examined. Results The average time of liver transplantation was (343+74) min. SBP decreased by (23.51+5.87 ) mm Hg and DBF by (11.35+7.81) mm Hg after induction of anesthesia. Serurn hyaluronic acid level was 267ug-L-1 before operation (T0) and rose to 1743ug-L-1 at T1 , and 9530ug-L-1 at T2 (P