Action of local anesthetics on intensity of lipid transition of phospholipids in human red cell membrane.

Anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate (ANS) response over a temperature range was measured in red cell membrane under the influence of a series of local anesthetics. Ratios of slopes before (m1) and after (m2) lipid transition temperature were calculated. The sequence of m1/m2 shows a correlation with Ki values of glucose transport in erythrocytes. For some substances, the rates of esterification of cholesterol in microsomal membrane and the clinical effectiveness increase in the same sequence. The present investigations further underline the concept that the penetrating power of the local anesthetics runs parallel with their biological activity.