Solubility Properties in Biological Media. 12. Regarding the Mechanism of Nonspecific Toxicity or Narcosis by Organic Nonelectrolytes

Narcotic effects of organic nonelectrolytes to the tadpole (logC), minimum blocking concentrations for stoppage of electrical activity in the muscle of the frog, Rana pipiens (logMBC), and binding of nonelectrolytes to bovine serum albumin (log1/C) are well correlated by the following equations, magnified image where VI is the intrinsic (van der Waals) molar volume, and π*, βm and αm are the solvatochromic parameters that scale solute dipolarity/polarizability, hydrogen bond acceptor basicity, and hydrogen bond donor acidity. That increasing solute π* leads to lesser partition into the biosystem compared with its aqueous environment, but also leads to greater toxicity or anesthetic effect is suggested to implicate in the mechanism of toxicity or narcosis a specific association effect between the more dipolar solutes (toxicants) and a molecule involved in the transmission of nervous impulses.