Abstract
The mechanism by which anesthetic gases selectively prevent consciousness and memory (sparing non-conscious brain functions) remains unknown. At the turn of the 20th century Meyer and Overton showed that potency of structurally dissimilar anesthetic gas molecules correlated precisely over many orders of magnitude with one factor, solubility in a non-polar, ‘hydrophobic’ medium akin to olive oil. In the 1980s Franks and Lieb showed anesthetics acted in such a medium within proteins, suggesting post-synaptic membrane receptors. But anesthetic studies on such proteins yielded only confusing results. In recent years Eckenhoff and colleagues have found anesthetic action in microtubules, cytoskeletal polymers of the protein tubulin inside brain neurons. ‘Quantum mobility’ in microtubules has been proposed to mediate consciousness. Through molecular modeling we have previously shown: (1) olive oillike non-polar, hydrophobic quantum mobility pathways (‘quantum channels’) of tryptophan rings in tubulin, (2) binding of anesthetic gas molecules in these channels, and (3) capabilities for π-electron resonant energy transfer, or exciton hopping, among tryptophan aromatic rings in quantum channels, similar to photosynthesis protein quantum coherence. Here, we show anesthetic molecules can impair π-resonance energy transfer and exciton hopping in tubulin quantum channels, and thus account for selective action of anesthetics on consciousness and memory.
Keywords: Anesthesia, Anesthetics, Aromatic amino acids, Consciousness, Hydrogen bonds, Hydrophobic pockets, Postoperative cognitive dysfunction, POCD, Microtubules, Quantum mobility theory, Tubulin, Tryptophan.
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry
Title:Anesthetics Act in Quantum Channels in Brain Microtubules to Prevent Consciousness
Volume: 15 Issue: 6
Author(s): Travis J. A. Craddock, Stuart R. Hameroff, Ahmed T. Ayoub, Mariusz Klobukowski and Jack A. Tuszynski
Affiliation:
Keywords: Anesthesia, Anesthetics, Aromatic amino acids, Consciousness, Hydrogen bonds, Hydrophobic pockets, Postoperative cognitive dysfunction, POCD, Microtubules, Quantum mobility theory, Tubulin, Tryptophan.
Abstract: The mechanism by which anesthetic gases selectively prevent consciousness and memory (sparing non-conscious brain functions) remains unknown. At the turn of the 20th century Meyer and Overton showed that potency of structurally dissimilar anesthetic gas molecules correlated precisely over many orders of magnitude with one factor, solubility in a non-polar, ‘hydrophobic’ medium akin to olive oil. In the 1980s Franks and Lieb showed anesthetics acted in such a medium within proteins, suggesting post-synaptic membrane receptors. But anesthetic studies on such proteins yielded only confusing results. In recent years Eckenhoff and colleagues have found anesthetic action in microtubules, cytoskeletal polymers of the protein tubulin inside brain neurons. ‘Quantum mobility’ in microtubules has been proposed to mediate consciousness. Through molecular modeling we have previously shown: (1) olive oillike non-polar, hydrophobic quantum mobility pathways (‘quantum channels’) of tryptophan rings in tubulin, (2) binding of anesthetic gas molecules in these channels, and (3) capabilities for π-electron resonant energy transfer, or exciton hopping, among tryptophan aromatic rings in quantum channels, similar to photosynthesis protein quantum coherence. Here, we show anesthetic molecules can impair π-resonance energy transfer and exciton hopping in tubulin quantum channels, and thus account for selective action of anesthetics on consciousness and memory.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Craddock Travis J. A., Hameroff Stuart R., T. Ayoub Ahmed, Klobukowski Mariusz and Tuszynski Jack A., Anesthetics Act in Quantum Channels in Brain Microtubules to Prevent Consciousness, Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry 2015; 15 (6) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1568026615666150225104543
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1568026615666150225104543 |
Print ISSN 1568-0266 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4294 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Chemistry Based on Natural Products for Therapeutic Purposes
The development of new pharmaceuticals for a wide range of medical conditions has long relied on the identification of promising natural products (NPs). There are over sixty percent of cancer, infectious illness, and CNS disease medications that include an NP pharmacophore, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Since NP ...read more
Current Trends in Drug Discovery Based on Artificial Intelligence and Computer-Aided Drug Design
Drug development discovery has faced several challenges over the years. In fact, the evolution of classical approaches to modern methods using computational methods, or Computer-Aided Drug Design (CADD), has shown promising and essential results in any drug discovery campaign. Among these methods, molecular docking is one of the most notable ...read more
Drug Discovery in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
In the age of artificial intelligence (AI), we have witnessed a significant boom in AI techniques for drug discovery. AI techniques are increasingly integrated and accelerating the drug discovery process. These developments have not only attracted the attention of academia and industry but also raised important questions regarding the selection ...read more
From Biodiversity to Chemical Diversity: Focus of Flavonoids
Flavonoids are the largest group of polyphenols, plant secondary metabolites arising from the essential aromatic amino acid phenylalanine (or more rarely from tyrosine) via the phenylpropanoid pathway. The flavan nucleus is the basic 15-carbon skeleton of flavonoids (C6-C3-C6), which consists of two phenyl rings (A and B) and a heterocyclic ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
New Insights in Mast Cell Modulation by Palmitoylethanolamide
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets State Dissociation, Human Behavior, and Consciousness
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Immunomodulatory Properties of Antibiotics
Current Molecular Pharmacology Cannabinoid Receptor Type 2 Activation Yields Delayed Tolerance to Focal Cerebral Ischemia
Current Neurovascular Research Meet Our Editorial Board Member
Recent Patents on Anti-Infective Drug Discovery The Cannabinoid CB2 Receptor as a Target for Inflammation-Dependent Neurodegeneration
Current Neuropharmacology Rosiglitazone Does Not Improve Cognition or Global Function when Used as Adjunctive Therapy to AChE Inhibitors in Mild-to-Moderate Alzheimers Disease: Two Phase 3 Studies
Current Alzheimer Research Magnetoencephalography in Fetuses and Neonates: A Review
Current Pediatric Reviews The Potential Role of Erythropoietin as a Pleiotropic Agent in Post-cardiac Arrest Syndrome
Current Pharmaceutical Design Future Directions for Pharmacotherapies for Treatment-resistant Bipolar Disorder
Current Neuropharmacology Aminochrome as New Preclinical Model to Find New Pharmacological Treatment that Stop the Development of Parkinson’s Disease
Current Medicinal Chemistry Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy: Novel Views and Persisting Challenges
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets Patent Selections
Recent Patents on Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Drug Discovery Glycine/NMDA Receptor Antagonists as Potential CNS Therapeutic Agents: ACEA-1021 and Related Compounds
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Current Pharmacological Treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Current Clinical Pharmacology Recent Advances in the Development of Multi-Kinase Inhibitors
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry The Breath of Life: Recent Patents on Placental and Amnion Derived Cells for Treatment of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia
Recent Patents on Regenerative Medicine The Role of Sigma-1 Receptor, an Intracellular Chaperone in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Current Neuropharmacology Anesthesia for Bronchoscopy
Current Pharmaceutical Design Platelet Microparticles Induce Angiogenesis and Neurogenesis after Cerebral Ischemia
Current Neurovascular Research