<p>Primer sequences used for RT-qPCR.</p>

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of esketamine (ESK) on skeletal muscle injury following lower limb ischemia-reperfusion in mice and its relationship with autophagy regulation. A mouse model of left hindlimb ischemia for 3 hours followed by 24 hours of reperfusion was established, and changes in hindlimb perfusion, functional outcomes, tissue injury, inflammatory response, and autophagy-related markers were examined after intervention with ESK alone or in combination with chloroquine phosphate (CQ).

The results showed that ESK attenuated the abnormally elevated perfusion after reperfusion, improved motor performance and partial muscle contractile function, yet exerted limited effects on mechanical pain threshold and nerve stimulation-induced muscle contraction. Concurrently, ESK alleviated histological damage, edema, and sarcolemmal integrity disruption in the gastrocnemius muscle, reduced serum Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha and Interleukin-6 levels, and downregulated the expression of several inflammation-related genes.