Differential solubilities in subregions of the membrane: a nonsteric mechanism of drug specificity

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The effect of 4 volatile anesthetics and convulsants [fluothyl, methoxyflurane, fluroxene and enflurane] on the GABA- and glutamate-induced conductance change was studied in crab [Oxypoda cursor] muscle. The intensity of drug action correlated with the solubility parameter (.delta.) values of the 4 drugs. The higher the .delta. value for a drug, the stronger the effect on the glutamate response but the weaker the response to GABA. Different gating molecules are housed in specific subregions of the membrane, each characterized by a particular value of the solubility parameter. The differential distribution of drugs in these subregions may be a nonsteric mechanism for drug specificity. A model is proposed.