The negative effect of desflurane on reproductive capacity in female rats

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of desflurane on reproductive capacity in female rats through a study of biochemical evaluations. After experimental procedure, the blood samples of female rats were collected, and the malondialdehyde, interleukin‑1‑beta, total glutathione and superoxide dismutase levels were measured to evaluate oxidative stress. In addition to biochemical evaluations, the reproductive performance of the experimental groups was also examined. The results of our study demonstrated that in blood samples of desflurane‑treated groups of rats, the parameters indicating oxidative stress and inflammation increased, and antioxidant parameters decreased (p < 0.05). It was also proven that repeated desflurane doses caused infertility in female rats, prolonged the gestation period and reduced the number of offspring. This study showed that recurrent desflurane application can cause infertility problems through oxidative stress in female rats (Tab. 3, Fig. 1, Ref. 25).