Table 1.

Ideal Intravenous Anesthetic Agent

Physical and chemical properties	Pharmacology
Chemically stable	Painless injection
Water soluble	Low incidence of thrombophlebitis
No additives/No reconstitution required	Harmless on extravasation and intraarterial injection
Long shelf-life	Low incidence of adverse reactions
Compatible with other intravenous fluids or drugs	Smooth onset of anesthesia
Bacteriostatic	No associated unwanted movements
	Anticonvulsant, antiemetic, and analgesic effects
	No associated respiratory depression or bronchodilation
	No cardiovascular depression or stimulation
	Predictable recovery
	Rapid conversion to non-active metabolites
	No hepatic or renal impairment
	No suppression of corticosteroid synthesis
	No association with emergence phenomenon
	No teratogenic effects
	Not much accumulation in body tissues, maintenance of general anesthesia possible