Anesthesia/anesthetics molecular actions

A mechanism of local anesthetic action in which they serve as sodium channel blockers has been proposed. According to this mechanism, the molecular targets of local anesthetic action are the voltage-requiring sodium channels, which are present in all the neurons. The process of local anesthesia by respective drugs can be schematically represented in the following manner. 

General anesthetic drugs have the ability to reduce the level of consciousness in a dose dependent fashion. The study of the neurobiological mechanisms of action of these drugs may provide insight into the systems that are necessary for the existence of consciousness. It clearly cannot be assumed however, that the systems that underlie the action of these substances are in themselves sufficient for consciousness. Indeed, within a complex neural network, any number of small alterations can disturb the whole. This chapter focuses on what is known about the molecular mechanism of action of drugs that are used clinically for general anesthesia. 

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