Temperature dependence of the saturated concentration and the activity coefficient of anesthetics (1-propanol, diethyl ether, chloroform, and halothane) in water were evaluated using vapor pressure and H NMR measurement. We found that these physical values (quantities) correlate with anesthetic potencies estimated according to the thermodynamic equilibrium model. The anesthetic potency for hydrophilic anesthetic (diethyl ether) decreased with decreasing temperature because of the temperature specificity of this saturated concentration. In contrast, potencies of hydrophobic anesthetics (chloroform and halothane) increased with decreasing temperature because of the temperature specificity of those activity coefficients. By assuming that anesthetics interact with hydrated water of cell membranes, the temperature dependence of anesthetic potencies in vivo is qualitatively explicable. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.