Role of Lipoids in Narcosis. 



15 



10 (706) 



The role of lipoids and particularly lecithin in narcosis. 

 By B. Kramer. 



[From the Physiological Laboratory of Cornell University Medical 

 College, New York City.] 



Following the discovery of anesthetic properties of ether by 

 Jackson and Morton in 1846, numerous theories appeared in the 

 literature which aimed to explain this important phenomenon. 

 Of these the well-known Meyer-Overton theory is the only one that 

 has survived the test of time. It reads as follows: "The narcotiz- 

 ing substance enters into a loose physio-chemical combination 

 with the lipoids of the cells, perhaps with the lecithin, and in 

 doing so changes their normal relationship to other cell constituents 

 through which an inhibition of the entire cell chemism results." 

 Evidently this theory casts no light upon the nature of the altera- 

 tions in cell chemism that follow. It remained for Verworn> 

 Mansfeld, Biicher and Heaton not only to demonstrate the nature 

 of these changes in cell chemism but also to show that the anes- 

 thetic state itself is in all probability dependent upon these 

 alterations. 



Reicher, who demonstrated the constant presence of lipoidemia 

 after narcosis, explained this as being a protective mechanism; the 

 lipoid molecules acting as amboceptors uniting with anesthetic 

 and thus protecting the more vitally important brain lipoids. 

 Nerking attempted to prove this experimentally by injecting 

 various quantities of a 1 to 20 per cent, lecithin emulsion in normal 

 salt solution intravenously, intraperitoneally, intraspinally or sub- 

 cutaneously in animals which had been narcotized or were about 

 to be anesthetized and claimed to have shown that "The injection 

 of lecithin has an undoubted influence upon the duration and after 

 effects of anesthesia in that it shortens its duration, brings about a 

 more rapid return to consciousness and eliminates unpleasant after 

 effects." 



A careful analysis of Nerking's work shows it to be scarcely 

 worthy of serious consideration, owing to its lack of exactness in the 

 dosage of the narcotic and the indefiniteness of the criteria used. 



