Molecular and cellular mechanisms of general anaesthesia.

Article Details

Citation

Franks NP, Lieb WR

Molecular and cellular mechanisms of general anaesthesia.

Nature. 1994 Feb 17;367(6464):607-14. doi: 10.1038/367607a0.

PubMed ID
7509043 [ View in PubMed
]
Abstract

General anaesthetics are much more selective than is usually appreciated and may act by binding to only a small number of targets in the central nervous system. At surgical concentrations their principal effects are on ligand-gated (rather than voltage-gated) ion channels, with potentiation of postsynaptic inhibitory channel activity best fitting the pharmacological profile observed in general anaesthesia. Although the role of second messengers remains uncertain, it is now clear that anaesthetics act directly on proteins rather than on lipids.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drug Targets
DrugTargetKindOrganismPharmacological ActionActions
SevofluraneCalcium transporting ATPases (Protein Group)Protein groupHumans
Yes
Inhibitor
Details
SevofluraneGABA(A) Receptor (Protein Group)Protein groupHumans
Yes
Agonist
Details
SevofluraneGlutamate receptor 1ProteinHumans
Yes
Antagonist
Details
SevofluraneGlycine receptor subunit alpha-1ProteinHumans
Yes
Agonist
Details