2H and 31P NMR study of the interaction of general anesthetics with phosphatidylcholine membranes.

The effect of the general anesthetics alpha-chloralose and chloral hydrate as well as the nonanesthetic beta-chloralose on the order of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylcholine-cholesterol liposomes has been examined by 2H nuclear magnetic resonance. Chloral hydrate interacts with the hydrophilic head-group region, causing a change in the torsion angle of the C alpha-C beta bond. The membrane interior is also disordered by the presence of this agent. alpha-Chloralose, on the other hand, disorders only the central position of the membrane. beta-Chloralose produces little significant change in bilayer order.