Halogenated ether

Flurane addition halothane and nitrous oxide (laughing gas, N2O ) the main inhalant anesthetics. Flurane characterized by Niedermolekularität, high vapor pressure, low boiling point. As functional group, they contain an ether bridge. Flurane are polyhalogenated. Therefore they are also called " Haloether ".

Flurane have very good hypnotic and small pronounced analgesic, and low in varying degrees, muscle-relaxing properties. From a mono anesthesia for painful procedures is therefore not recommended in humans; the Flurane are then treated with analgesics to combine (so-called balanced anesthesia). All volatile anesthetics cause a dose-dependent loss of consciousness, respiratory depression and acceptance and / or cessation of reflex activity.

Flurane are colorless and non-flammable. Its smell is pungent and irritating to the upper respiratory tract, only sevoflurane has a mild, pleasant odor and is therefore suitable as the only volatile anesthetic also for induction of anesthesia with a mask. They are inert and relatively stable to light. You do not interact with metals or plastics, but can partially solve plastics or their additives.

The Fluranen include enflurane, isoflurane, sevoflurane and desflurane, and methoxyflurane. They are commercially available as liquids. The biggest suppliers of Fluranen are Abbott Laboratories and Baxter International. In order to enable easy identification, Fluran containers isoflurane violet, sevoflurane are provided with a color code, enflurane orange, yellow and blue desflurane.