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Is propofol a GABA-A agonist? Other anesthetics?

Q

queenscarlet88

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This article seems to indicate that propofol does bind to GABA-A receptors: http://phys.org/news/2013-09-propofol-discovery-aid-anesthetics.html

I suffered from a protracted benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome and do not want to rekindle my symptoms through exposure to a GABA-A agonist. Am I understanding correctly that propofol acts on the brain in a similar way to benzos? If so, are there any commonly-used anesthetics that act differently on the brain?
 
Propofols primary activity is GABAergic in nature, yes. It may have other activities, but it's effect on GABA is the key. Unless you're planning on consuming a lot of it, you don't have to worry about withdrawal.
 
Yes, I asked an anesthesiologist about this before aneasthesia because I was undergoing benzodiazepine withdrawal and he said they would skip the propofol entirely because it acts on GABA A receptors. You should tell your anaesthesiologist and they will be able to just skip the propofol as from what I understood from what he told me it isn't really necessary and you will probably have to inhale gas (sevoflurane) instead to fall asleep which some people can find unpleasant, hence why they use propofol for induction of anaesthesia.

While drugbank.ca states that the fluranes etc work on GABA receptors it's not their main mechanism of action and they should not retrigger benzowithdrawal.
 
Last edited:
Toz said:
Yes, I asked an anesthesiologist about this before aneasthesia because I was undergoing benzodiazepine withdrawal and he said they would skip the propofol entirely because it acts on GABA A receptors. You should tell your anaesthesiologist and they will be able to just skip the propofol as from what I understood from what he told me it isn't really necessary and you will probably have to inhale gas (sevoflurane) instead to fall asleep which some people can find unpleasant, hence why they use propofol for induction of anaesthesia.

While drugbank.ca states that the fluranes etc work on GABA receptors it's not their main mechanism of action and they should not retrigger benzowithdrawal.
Click to expand...

I did not realize that propofol was only used for induction! I will definitely need to ask the anesthesiologist about just using the sevoflurane.
 
Propofol is also used for maintenance of anesthesia. It's use as just an induction agent is more common though. Another alternative to sevoflurane induction is esketamine induction.
 
Wizzle said:
Propofol is also used for maintenance of anesthesia. It's use as just an induction agent is more common though. Another alternative to sevoflurane induction is esketamine induction.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I have some questions now that I can ask my anesthesiologist.
 
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