The effects of sevoflurane on intracellular Ca²⁺ regulation in rat hepatocytes

The effects of sevoflurane, a new volatile anesthetic agent undergoing clinical trial, on the mobilization of intracellular Ca²⁺ in isolated rat hepatocytes was studied. This agent produced a dose-dependent release of ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ from internal, non-mitochondrial stores of permeabilized hepatocytes (saponin treated). However, the administration of sevoflurane to aequorin-loaded intact hepatocytes had little or no effect on intracellular [Ca²⁺] (i.e., short transient or no increases in luminescence: no toxic effect). These data may indicate that because of the low solubility of sevoflurane, it has a selective effect on endoplasmic reticulum, i.e., mobilizing internal stores of Ca²⁺ relative to increasing transmembrane fluxes.