General anesthetic isoflurane modulates inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor calcium channel opening.

Background Pharmacological evidence suggests that inhalational general anesthetics induce neurodegeneration in vitro and in vivo through overactivation of inositol trisphosphate receptor (InsP3R) Ca2+ release channels, but it is not clear whether these effects are due to direct modulation of channel activity by the anesthetics.