Fig. 1

Protocol of assessing gastrointestinal motility and detection of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β serum levels. n = 5 per group. a. Firstly, lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 5 mg·kg^− 1) was used to set up the endotoxemia model. Then the endotoxemic mice were randomized to four groups 48 h after model establishment, and the following drugs were injected intraperitoneally: 10% fat emulsion, 40 mg·kg^− 1 propofol, normal saline, 80 μg·kg^− 1 dexmedetomidine. Next, gastric emptying, small intestinal transit, colonic transit, tests of feces, colonic migrating motor complexes, gastrointestinal transit, and whole gut transit were performed 15 mins after injection of sedatives/vehicles. Finally, the same tests were conducted 24 h after the injection of sedatives/vehicles. b. The mice in the endotoxemia group have much higher IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β serum levels than those mice in the control group. Data were expressed as mean ± SD and analysed by unpaired t test. **P < 0.01, **P < 0.001. CON, control. LPS, lipopolysaccharide. FE, fat emulsion. PPF, propofol. NS, normal saline. DEX, dexmedetomidine