Mammalian hepatoma liver cells were grown as a suspension tissue culture to allow investigation of the effects of nonvolatile anesthetics on cell replication. Logarithmic growth of a rat hepatoma tissue culture was reversibly inhibited by thiopental, methohexital, amobarbital, phenobarbital, lidocaine, and prilocaine in a dose-dependent fashion. Barbituric acid also reversibly inhibited logarithmic growth, but only at drug concentrations greater than those necessary for inhibition by the anesthetic drugs.