Comparison of nerve conduction blocks by an opioid and a local anesthetic

• Published in: European journal of pharmacology Vol. 439; no. 1; pp. 77 - 81
• Main Authors: Mert, Tufan, Gunes, Yasemin, Guven, Mustafa, Gunay, Ismail, Ozcengiz, Dilek
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 29.03.2002; Elsevier
• Subjects: Analgesics; Analgesics, Opioid - pharmacology; Anesthetics, Local - pharmacology; Anesthetics. Neuromuscular blocking agents; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Calcium - pharmacology; Compound action potential; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Frog; In Vitro Techniques; Lidocaine; Lidocaine - pharmacology; Medical sciences; Neural Conduction - drug effects; Neuropharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Ranidae; Sciatic nerve; Sciatic Nerve - drug effects; Sciatic Nerve - physiology; Sucrose-gap; Tramadol; Tramadol - pharmacology; Sucrose-gap; Compound action potential; Lidocaine; Frog; Tramadol; Sciatic nerve; Calcium; Amphibia; Salientia; Binding site; Ionic current; Narcotic analgesic; In vitro; Biological activity; Local anesthetic; Nerve conduction; Vertebrata; Animal; Organic amide; Mechanism of action; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0014-2999; 1879-0712
• DOI: 10.1016/S0014-2999(02)01368-7

The experiments were done on frog sciatic nerves, using a sucrose-gap recording technique. The aim of our study was to investigate and to compare the tonic and phasic conduction blocking potency of tramadol and lidocaine on whole nerve and their interactions with Ca 2+. The concentration of a tramadol solution producing the same amount of tonic and phasic conduction blocks was three and six times higher than that needed for lidocaine, respectively. Increasing the Ca 2+ concentration in the test solution enhanced the conduction blocking potency of tramadol, but decreased that of lidocaine. It is concluded that tramadol blocks nerve conduction like a local anesthetic but with a weaker effect than that of lidocaine. Interactions of Ca 2+ and these drugs suggested that these drugs might have either different binding sites or different action mechanisms.