A 1H-NMR investigation of the effects of ethanol and general anaesthetics on ion channels and membrane fusion using unilamellar phospholipid membranes.
Using 1H-NMR of small unilamellar vesicles in the presence of the lanthanide probe ion Pr3+, the effects of ethanol, diethyl ether and chloroform on various mechanisms of channel-mediated transport were studied. The mechanisms include channel formation by the polypeptide Alamethicin 30 and vesicular lysis at the gel to liquid-crystal phase transition of the lipid. Channel stabilisation and membrane fusion induced by sub-critical micelle concentrations of Triton X-100 were also investigated. The observation that ethanol and diethyl ether increase membrane permeability and fusion while chloroform inhibits them suggests a common locus of action on the properties and structure of channel-associated water. This conclusion is discussed in terms of current theories of general anaesthesia.
D000777:Anesthetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D002725:Chloroform / Q000494:pharmacology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004986:Ether / Q000494:pharmacology; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000187:drug effects*; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000378:metabolism*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D017830:Octoxynol; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols
D000777:Anesthetics; D007473:Ion Channels; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D010743:Phospholipids; D004986:Ether; D000431:Ethanol; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D002725:Chloroform; D017830:Octoxynol