propofol

Propofol is the active component of an intravenous anesthetic formulation used for induction and maintenance of general anesthesia. The formulation was approved under the brand name Diprivan. Numerous generic versions have since been released. Intravenous administration is used to induce unconsciousness, after which anesthesia may be maintained using a combination of medications. It is manufactured as part of a sterile injectable emulsion formulation using soybean oil and lecithin, giving it a white milky coloration.

Compared to other anesthetic agents, recovery from propofol-induced anesthesia is generally rapid and associated with less frequent side effects (e.g., drowsiness, nausea, vomiting). Propofol may be used prior to diagnostic procedures requiring anesthesia, in the management of refractory status epilepticus, and for induction or maintenance of anesthesia prior to and during surgeries. It may be administered as a bolus or an infusion, or as a combination of the two.