Propylene Phenoxetol (1-Phenoxypropan-2-ol): Its Use as an Anesthetic for Echinoderms

Propylene phenoxetol is the trade name of the chemical compound that has the systematic name 1-phenoxypropan-2-ol. Used as an anesthetic agent for aquatic animals—mainly invertebrates—for over 70 years, it has been employed most extensively for all five classes of the phylum Echinodermata both to narcotize whole animals—reversibly or terminally—and as a pharmacological agent for blocking neural conduction in isolated tissue preparations. Despite this long history, there is evidence that since the 1990s, there has been a sustained decline in propylene phenoxetol usage, which may be partly the result of an accumulation of misinformation about its chemical identity, physical properties, and physiological actions. This review surveys the use of propylene phenoxetol as an anesthetic for echinoderms and other animals, outlines the history of misinformation concerning its nature and qualities, and corrects that misinformation. Deficiencies in current knowledge are outlined, with the ultimate aim of encouraging further research to explore its potential as an option for the anesthetization of echinoderm subjects.