It remains the most widely used anesthetic in U.S. hospitals, but many patients still remember propofol as the drug that killed Michael Jackson.

Most are no longer afraid of it, doctors say, though many still ask if they will get sa国际传媒渢he Michael Jackson drugsa国际传媒� before an operation. And most of them will.

Jackson died 10 years ago at his Los Angeles home after receiving a lethal dose of the drug intended for use only during surgery and other medical procedures sa国际传媒� not for insomnia.

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As Jackson rehearsed for his comeback tour, he struggled to sleep. Prosecutors said Jacksonsa国际传媒檚 personal doctor Conrad Murray gave the singer propofol, as he had many times before, then left him unattended. Murray, who maintains his innocence, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011.

A look at the history and safety of propofol:

Milk of amnesia

Jackson called propofol his sa国际传媒渕ilk.sa国际传媒� Itsa国际传媒檚 a white, oily solution injected into a vein. It acts fast, in about 40 seconds, and wears off quickly too. Patients wake up with no hangover or nausea. They donsa国际传媒檛 remember much, earning the drug its nickname sa国际传媒渕ilk of amnesia.sa国际传媒�

Propofol was a noteworthy advance when it was launched in the late 1980s, but it almost didnsa国际传媒檛 make it out of the lab. An early version caused allergic reactions.

Discoverer John B. Glen kept at it and found a better formula using soybean oil. Thirteen years after its discovery, propofol rapidly replaced sodium thiopental in most operating rooms. Up to 50 million U.S. patients receive propofol annually.

The World Health Organization deemed it an sa国际传媒渆ssential medicine.sa国际传媒� Glen, who retired from the pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca, was honoured with the prestigious Lasker medical research award last year.

How safe is it?

Because propofol lowers blood pressure and suppresses breathing, patients need to be monitored.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 quite safe in an anesthesiologistsa国际传媒檚 hands,sa国际传媒� said Dr. Beverly Philip of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

These days, patients arensa国际传媒檛 as afraid of going under, she said. sa国际传媒淣ow itsa国际传媒檚 more of a matter of curiosity rather than being afraid for their own safety.sa国际传媒�

Dr. Steven Shafer of Stanford University, a propofol expert who testified at Murraysa国际传媒檚 trial, endorses the appropriate use of propofol.

sa国际传媒淢ichael Jackson was killed by a reckless and incompetent physician,sa国际传媒� he said.

Police rarely encounter the drug. Itsa国际传媒檚 not a controlled substance under federal law.

Theresa国际传媒檚 little abuse in the general public. Almost all cases involve health care workers. They steal it at work to get a pleasant but dangerous high. At least 18 deaths were reported among medical professionals from 1992 to 2009.

Whatsa国际传媒檚 new?

University of Utah psychiatrist Dr. Brian Mickey is studying propofol for depression in people who donsa国际传媒檛 get relief from medications or psychotherapy. Other treatments may include brain stimulation such as electroconvulsive therapy, but that can have side effects such as confusion and memory loss.

Mickey and his colleagues published a preliminary study last year that tested a series of high doses of propofol in 10 patients with moderate to severe depression. Half improved and maintained better moods for three months.

Now the researchers are planning a larger study that will test propofol against a sedative called midazolam.

Mickey doesnsa国际传媒檛 know how propofol may help depression, but said it may be triggering the brain to reorganize itself. It may be sa国际传媒渃oaxing the brain into getting unstuck from this bad, depressed state that itsa国际传媒檚 in,sa国际传媒� he said.

The study was done in a hospital with an anesthesiologist giving propofol through an IV.

sa国际传媒淒onsa国际传媒檛 do this at home,sa国际传媒� Mickey said.

Carla K. Johnson, The Associated Press

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