["The purpose of this study was to investigate whether propofol protects rat hepatocyte suspensions against an oxidant attack by a free radical generator 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH). Rat hepatocyte suspensions (2 x 10(6) cells/mL) were prepared using Seglen's collagenase perfusion technique. Suspensions were treated with AAPH (50 mM) alone, propofol (28 microM) plus AAPH, or, in a separate experiment, with either AAPH alone or 10% intralipid (0.5 microL/mL) plus AAPH. Each experiment had untreated control suspensions. Cell viability was measured at 1, 2, and 3 h using the trypan blue exclusion test and expressed as a percentage of the initial number of viable cells. Cells taken from control at time 0 h and each experimental group at 1 h from five separate hepatocyte preparations were examined by electron microscopy. Control cell viability decreased with time. The addition of AAPH significantly reduced viability compared with control (P < 0.0001); pretreatment with propofol significantly attenuated this effect at 1 h (P = 0.0008), but 10% intralipid had no effect. Electron microscopy revealed structural changes in cell membranes that could have accounted for the inability to exclude trypan blue. In conclusion, a 28-microM concentration of propofol protects rat hepatocytes from an oxidant stress sufficient to cause cell death at 1 h."] Does propofol preserve the viability of isolated rat hepatocyte suspensions under an oxidant stress?