The anesthetic potency of racemic isoflurane and the optically pure st
ereoisomers was examined in rats. The (+) isomer was 53% more potent t
han the (-) isomer (minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) = 1.06 +/- 0.
07% vs. 1.62 +/- 0.02%, P < 0.05). MAC for racemic isoflurane was 1.32
+/- 0.03%. Both stereoisomers and the racemic isoflurane produced sim
ilar depression of arterial pressure. However, the (+) isomer blunted
the cardiovascular response to a painful stimulus to a greater extent
than did an equi-MAC dose of the (-) isomer. These are the first data
to describe pharmacological differences between stereoisomers of a vol
atile anesthetic administered in vivo by the conventional route (inhal
ed) and measuring the clinically relevant index of anesthesia, MAC. Th
ese data are consistent with a receptor-mediated anesthetic mechanism
by volatile anesthetics.