title: Anaesthetic potency of inhalation agents is independent of membrane microviscosity.
abstract: The decrease in membrane microviscosity of erythrocyte ghosts in the presence of clinically relevant concentrations of seven inhalation anaesthetic agents was studied using fluorescence polarization anisotropy of the membrane incorporated fluorescent probes 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene and 1-[4-trimethylammoniumphenyl]-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene. All anaesthetic agents produced a dose-dependent decrease in anisotropy of both probes, indicating decreased membrane microviscosity. The reduction in anisotropy measured at the minimum alveolar concentration (ED50) for anaesthesia was related inversely to the anaesthetic potency of the agent and was directly proportional to the hypothetical concentration of agent in the membrane calculated from lipid-water partition coefficients. These findings do not support the hypothesis that volatile anaesthetic agents act by increasing membrane microviscosity of the bulk lipid bilayer to produce anaesthesia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Leicester, Leicester Royal Infirmary.
authors.forename: R I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hirst
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Appadu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McKay
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Rowbotham
mesh_terms: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005454:Fluorescence Polarization; D006801:Humans; D014783:Viscosity / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation