Volatile anesthetics-induced neuroinflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses

Volatile anesthetics have been the major anesthetics used clinically for more than 150 years. They provide all components of general anesthesia and are easy to be applied and monitored with modern equipment and technology. In addition to having anesthetic property, volatile anesthetics have multiple other effects. Many studies have clearly shown that volatile anesthetics can reduce systemic and local inflammatory responses induced by various stimuli in humans and animals. On the other hand, recent animal studies have shown that volatile anesthetics may induce mild neuroinflammation. These dual effects on inflammation may have significant biological implications and are briefly reviewed here.