A theory of inhaled anesthetic action by disruption of ligand diffusion chreodes.

A theory is proposed for the clinical actions and behavior of volatile anesthetic agents. Evidence supports the nonspecific and ubiquitous effects of these drugs in which many ligand-receptor systems may be involved. The volatile anesthetic drugs interfere with the diffusion of ligands to receptors across the hydrodynamic landscape on the protein surface. The hydropathic states of the amino acid side chains on the landscape of an active site influence the water to form evanescent paths, called chreodes as defined by Waddington and offered as an appropriate term by Kier. These chreodes are altered by the presence of volatile anesthetic drugs, leading to a reduction in the diffusion of many ligands to their active sites. This effect is sufficient to decrease the responses of these receptors, leading to an anesthetic state.