Skip to main content
Log in

Implications for theories of anaesthesia of antagonism between anaesthetic and non-anaesthetic steroids

  • Article
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

The non-anaesthetic steroid Δ16-alphaxalone antagonises the depressant action of the anaesthetic steroid alphaxalone on synaptic transmission. This antagonism is not predicted by classical theories of anaesthesia and therefore poses fundamental questions about the molecular basis of anaesthesia.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Eger, E. I., Lundgren, C., Miller, S. L., and Stevens, W. C., Anesthesiology, 30, 129 (1969).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Lever, M. J., Miller, K. W., Paton, W. D. M., and Smith, E. B., Nature, 231, 368 (1971).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Miller, K. W., Paton, W. D. M., Smith, E. B., and Smith, R. A., Anesthesiology, 36, 339 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Seeman, P., Pharmac. Rev., 24, 583 (1972).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Meyer, K. H., Trans. Faraday Soc., 33, 1062 (1937).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Mullins, L. J., Chem. Rev., 54, 289 (1954).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Selye, H., Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. Med., 46, 116 (1941).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Atkinson, R. M., Davis, B., Pratt, M. A., Sharpe, H. M., and Tomich, E. G., J. med. Chem., 8, 426 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Phillipps, G. H., in Molecular Mechanisms in General Anaesthesia, ch. 3 (Churchill–Livingstone, London, 1974).

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  10. Yamamoto, C., and Mcllwain, H., J. Neurochem., 13, 1333 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Richards, C. D., and Sercombe, R., J. Physiol., Lond., 197, 667 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Richards, C. D., J. Physiol., Lond., 227, 749 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Richards, C. D., J. Physiol., Lond., 233, 439 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Richards, C. D., Russell, W. J., and Smaje, J. C., J. Physiol., Lond., 248, 121 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Richards, C. D., in Molecular Mechanisms in General Anaesthesia, ch. 6 (Churchill–Livingstone, London, 1974).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Child, K. J., et al., Br. J. Anaesth., 43, 2 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Richards, C. D., and ter Keurs, W. J., Brain Res., 26, 446 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Richards, C. D., and Sercombe, R., J. Physiol., Lond., 211, 571 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Spector, W. S. (ed.), Handbook of Biological Data, 340 (Saunders, Philadelphia, 1956).

  20. Davis, B., and Pearce, D. B., Postgrad. med. J., 48, suppl. 2, 13 (1972).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Seeman, P., Biochem. Pharmac., 15, 1632 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Hill, M. W., in Molecular Mechanisms in General Anaesthesia, ch. 8 (Churchill–Livingstone, London, 1974).

    Google Scholar 

  23. Smith, E. B., in Molecular Mechanisms in General Anaesthesia, ch. 7 (Churchill–Livingstone, London, 1974).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Paton, W. D. M., and Temple, D., Br. J. Pharmac., 44, 346P (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Miller, R. D., et al., Anaesthesiology, 31, 301 (1969).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Paton, W. D. M., in Molecular Mechanisms in General Anaesthesia, ch. 4, 57 (Churchill–Livingstone, London, 1974).

    Google Scholar 

  27. Metcalfe, J. C., Hoult, J. R. S., and Colley, C. M., in Molecular Mechanisms in General Anaesthesia, ch. 9 (Churchill–Livingstone, London, 1974).

    Google Scholar 

  28. Hubbell, W. L., Metcalfe, J. C., Metcalfe, S. M., and McConnell, H. M., Biochim. biophys. Acta, 219, 415 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Lee, A. G., Birdsall, N. J. M., and Metcalfe, J. C., Biochemistry, 12, 1650 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Metcalfe, J. C., Seeman, P., and Burgen, A. S. V., Molec. Pharmac., 4, 87 (1968).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Trudell, S. R., Hubbell, W. L., and Cohen, E. N., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 291, 321 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Richards, C., Hesketh, T. Implications for theories of anaesthesia of antagonism between anaesthetic and non-anaesthetic steroids. Nature 256, 179–182 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/256179a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/256179a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Navigation