Propyl ether. I. Interaction with the sensory irritant receptor.
The sensory irritating response of propyl ether, measured as a decrease in respiratory rate in mice, faded within one minute. The threshold was 620 p.p.m., calculated from the concentration-response curve, which had a low slope. The sensory irritating level depressing the respiratory rate to 50 per cent (RD-50 = 89,000 p.p.m.) could not be reached with saturated vapour at 20 degrees. The thermodynamic activity corresponding to the RD-50 was about 0.6, a rather high value. The low slope and high thermodynamic activity may be explained by steric hindrance of the oxygen atom and thereby decreasing the receptor-activating capacity and/or the stability of the active receptor conformation. A specific effect beyond the receptor offers another explanation.
D000433:1-Propanol / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004987:Ethers / Q000633:toxicity*; D007509:Irritants / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D051379:Mice; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D004987:Ethers; D007509:Irritants; C045122:propyl ether; D000433:1-Propanol