Desflurane and Nitrous Oxide, but Not Nonimmobilizers, Affect Nociceptive Responses

Abstract

We studied the response of animals inhaling anesthetics or nonimmobilizers (compounds predicted to be anesthetics from the Meyer-Overton relation) to painful stimuli. Nonimmobilizers had no effect on these responses; at a low partial pressure, desflurane was hyperalgesic; nitrous oxide and, at higher partial pressures, desflurane were antinociceptive.