ROPIVACAINE INHIBITS LEUKOCYTE ROLLING, ADHESION AND CD11B CD18 EXPRESSION/

Ropivacaine, a new local anesthetic, is currently being investigated f or the treatment of ulcerative colitis, with promising results so far. The aim of this study was to examine antiinflammatory properties of r opivacaine with regard to its effects on vascular permeability and inf lammatory leukocyte behavior in vivo. The effects on leukocyte rolling , firm adhesion and vascular permeability were examined in the hamster cheek pouch microvasculature via intravital microscopy, and the effec ts on leukocyte adhesion molecules were examined in vitro by means of flow cytometry. In large venules, leukocyte adhesion induced by topica l leukotriene B-4 (LTB4) was almost completely inhibited during the co mbined application of ropivacaine and LTB4. The spontaneous rolling le ukocyte flux was reduced by 72%, the rolling leukocyte fraction by 47% and the total leukocyte flux, which reflects blood flow, by 47%. In p ostcapillary venules, ropivacaine abolished rolling and LTB4-induced f irm adhesion of leukocytes. LTB4 challenge also resulted in increased plasma exudation that was almost completely inhibited by ropivacaine. Moreover, ropivacaine inhibited the tumor necrosis factor alpha-induce d up-regulation of CD11b/CD18 and L-selectin shedding by human leukocy tes in vitro. Our results suggest that ropivacaine exerts anti-inflamm atory activity, and this appears to be mediated to a significant exten t by inhibition of both leukocyte rolling and adhesion.