Propofol is a fast-acting, short-lived intravenous anesthetic. It is particularly effective for outpatient surgery because of rapid postsurgery recovery. Known for its anti-emetic effect, it is currently being tested for oral bioavailability for use with cancer patients.
MOTW update:
April 08, 2019
Propofol is a fast-acting intravenous anesthetic notoriously known for its association with the death of Michael Jackson. Recently, scientists in Spain discovered that propofol can be used to disrupt burdensome memories in people with post-traumatic stress disorder or severe phobias. Bryan Strange and his colleagues at the Technical University of Madrid demonstrated their finding by showing subjects disturbing videos, then injecting them with propofol. One day after the individuals awakened from the anesthesia, they had difficulty remembering the traumatic portions of the videos.
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