Inhibitory ligand-gated ion channels as substrates for general anesthetic actions.
General anesthetics have been in clinical use for more than 160 years. Nevertheless, their mechanism of action is still only poorly understood. In this review, we describe studies suggesting that inhibitory ligand-gated ion channels are potential targets for general anesthetics in vitro and describe how the involvement of y-aminobutyric acid (GABA)(A) receptor subtypes in anesthetic actions could be demonstrated by genetic studies in vivo.
Zeller
A
A
Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Jurd
R
R
Lambert
S
S
Arras
M
M
Drexler
B
B
Grashoff
C
C
Antkowiak
B
B
Rudolph
U
U
D018681:Anesthetics, General / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003243:Consciousness / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects*; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009154:Mutation; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018009:Receptors, Glycine / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D018681:Anesthetics, General; D007473:Ion Channels; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D018009:Receptors, Glycine