Propofol and barbiturates are both known to protect cells of several organs against ischemia/reperfusion injury, but there are few reports on any possible protective effects on human hepatocytes. We investigated the activities of both agents on human hepatic SNU761 cells under hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced oxidative stress.

To determine whether propofol and pentobarbital protect hepatocytes from H₂O₂-induced toxicity, we used SNU761 cells, a human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line. Cells were pretreated with different dosages (1, 10, 50 µM) of propofol or pentobarbital (1, 10, 50, 100, 400 µM) 30 min before H₂O₂ application. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was measured to assess and quantify cell death. To determine the nature of cell death, treated hepatocytes were doubly stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled Annexin V and propidium iodide (PI), and analyzed by flow cytometry.

Pretreatment with propofol, but not pentobarbital, suppressed H₂O₂-induced LDH release. In Annexin V-FITC/PI binding analysis, propofol decreased the number of necrotic and late apoptotic cells, but no significant decreases in such cell numbers were seen when pentobarbital was used.

Unlike pentobarbital, propofol, at clinical concentrations, protected SNU-761 HCC cells against oxidative stress.