Etomidate and Etomidate Analog Binding and Positive Modulation of γ-Aminobutyric Acid Type A Receptors

Abstract

Steric hindrance selectively reduces phenyl ring-substituted etomidate analog binding affinity to the two β - α anesthetic binding sites on the GABAA receptor's open state, suggesting that the binding pocket where etomidate's phenyl ring lies becomes smaller as the receptor isomerizes from closed to open.