scholarly journals General anaesthetic action: ubiquity, complexity and relevance for neuroscience

2007 ◽  
Vol 580 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-5
Author(s):  
G. Plourde
Keyword(s):  
General Anaesthetic ◽  
Anaesthetic Action

scholarly journals Chloroform alters interleaflet coupling in lipid bilayers: an entropic mechanism

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (106) ◽  
pp. 20150197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramon Reigada ◽  
Francesc Sagués
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Cell Membrane ◽  
Lipid Bilayers ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
General Anaesthetic ◽  
Computational Studies ◽  
Polar Compound ◽  
Cell Processes ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Anaesthetic Action

The interaction of the two leaflets of the plasmatic cell membrane is conjectured to play an important role in many cell processes. Experimental and computational studies have investigated the mechanisms that modulate the interaction between the two membrane leaflets. Here, by means of coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, we show that the addition of a small and polar compound such as chloroform alters interleaflet coupling by promoting domain registration. This is interpreted in terms of an entropic gain that would favour frequent chloroform commuting between the two leaflets. The implication of this effect is discussed in relation to the general anaesthetic action.

scholarly journals The inhibition of a membrane-bound enzyme as a model for anaesthetic action and drug toxicity

1989 ◽  
Vol 258 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
B B Hasinoff ◽  
J P Davey
Keyword(s):  
Cytochrome C ◽  
Cytochrome C Oxidase ◽  
Drug Toxicity ◽  
Partition Coefficients ◽  
General Anaesthetic ◽  
Pure Alcohol ◽  
Anaesthetic Potency ◽  
Membrane Bound ◽  
Methylene Group ◽  
Anaesthetic Action

The inhibition of the membrane-bound enzyme cytochrome c oxidase by aliphatic n-alcohols and other neutral organic compounds was studied as a model for anaesthetic action and drug toxicity. The n-alcohols (C1 to C14) displayed a variation in inhibition constant of over 500,000-fold. The inhibition constants correlated well with the number of carbon atoms in the n-alcohols and also their n-octanol/water partition coefficients. General anaesthetic potency is known to be similarly well correlated with octanol/water partition coefficients. The free-energy change for transferring a methylene group of the n-alcohol to the more hydrophobic environment bound to the enzyme is similar to that for transferring a methylene group from water to pure alcohol. These results are consistent with the n-alcohols inhibiting by binding to an octanol-like environment on the enzyme or the protein/phospholipid interface. Neither negatively charged carboxylates nor positively charged amine analogues were observed to cause any inhibition, indicating that this postulated binding site may be uncharged. Inhibition of cytochrome c oxidase by n-alcohols was also demonstrated in both bovine heart and rat liver sonicated submitochondrial fragments.

General anaesthetic action at transmitter-gated inhibitory amino acid receptors

1999 ◽  
Vol 20 (12) ◽  
pp. 496-502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delia Belelli ◽  
Marco Pistis ◽  
John A Peters ◽  
Jeremy J Lambert
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
General Anaesthetic ◽  
Amino Acid Receptors ◽  
Anaesthetic Action

The Neurotoxicity of Organic Solvents, Studied with in Vitro Models

1992 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 290-296
Author(s):  
Hanna Tähti
Keyword(s):  
Organic Solvents ◽  
Cell Membranes ◽  
In Vitro Models ◽  
General Anaesthetic ◽  
Test Models ◽  
Benzene Toluene ◽  
Dose Dependent ◽  
Anaesthetic Action ◽  
Anaesthetic Effect

The present paper deals with the general anaesthetic effect of organic solvents. The emphasis is on cell membranes as models for predicting the adverse reactions of the human nervous system to organic solvents, and for studying the mechanisms of their anaesthetic action. Human and rat erythrocyte and platelet membranes, rat synaptosomal membranes and cultured neural cell membranes were exposed in vitro to various concentrations (3–30mM) of benzene, toluene, o-xylene and styrene in the incubation mixtures. After exposure to a solvent for 30 minutes, the membrane integral protein integrity was determined by measuring ATPase and acetylcholinesterase activities. All measurements were performed in triplicate from 3 or 4 independent experiments with each exposure of solvent and each membrane isolation. The enzyme inhibition was dose-dependent, and differed after solvent treatment in all membrane preparations tested in increasing order, as follows: benzene, toluene, styrene, o-xylene. The results support the protein theories on the mechanism of the anaesthetic action of various industrial organic solvents. The integral membrane proteins contain hydrophobic pockets which may bind anaesthetics, e.g. solvents which change the properties of integral enzymes. The effects of solvents in peripheral models are quite similar to those in neural membranes in vitro. Therefore, these membrane models can serve as test models when the narcotic potencies of the solvents are being evaluated, or at least for screening purposes and for studies of the mechanisms of solvent neurotoxicity.

scholarly journals Bedtime Oral Hygiene Behaviours, Dietary Habits and Children’s Dental Health

Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 416
Author(s):  
George Kitsaras ◽  
Michaela Goodwin ◽  
Michael P. Kelly ◽  
Iain A. Pretty
Keyword(s):  
Oral Hygiene ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Dental Health ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Study Data ◽  
General Anaesthetic ◽  
Dental Disease ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Important Relationship ◽  
Bedtime Routine

Background: Oral hygiene behaviours as well as dietary habits before bed can affect children’s dental health resulting in higher prevalence of dental disease. Dental disease can affect children’s health, development and even school performance. If left untreated, dental disease can progress and it can lead to extractions under general anaesthetic causing further distress for children and families. Consistent and appropriate oral hygiene behaviours and dietary habits can prevent dental diseases from occurring in the first place. Objective: This cross-sectional study examines the relationship between oral hygiene behaviours, dietary habits around bedtime and children’s dental health. Methods: A total of 185 parents with children between the ages of 3 and 7 years from deprived areas participated in the study. Data on bedtime routine activities were collected using an automated text-survey system. Children’s dental health status was established through examination of dental charts and dmft (decayed, missed, filled teeth) scores. Results: In total, 52.4% of parents reported that their children’s teeth were brushed every night. The majority of children (58.9%) had dmft scores over zero. In total, 51 (46.7% of children with dmft score over 0 and 27.5% of all children) children had active decay. The mean dmft score for those experiencing decay was 2.96 (SD = 2.22) with an overall mean dmft score of 1.75 (SD = 2.24). There were significant correlations between frequency of tooth brushing, frequency of snacks/drinks before bed and dmft scores (r = −0.584, p < 0.001 and r = 0.547, p = 0.001 respectively). Finally, higher brushing frequency was associated with a lower likelihood of a dmft score greater than 0 (Exp(B) = 0.9). Conclusions: Despite families implementing oral hygiene behaviours as part of their bedtime routines those behaviours varied in their consistency. Results of this study highlight the need for additional studies that consider bedtime routine-related activities and especially the combined effects of oral hygiene practices and dietary habits due to their potentially important relationship with children’s dental health.

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