EFFECTS OF 5 AMINO-AMIDE LOCAL-ANESTHETIC AGENTS ON HUMAN POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTES MEASURED BY CHEMILUMINESCENCE

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of five amino-amide local anaesthetic agents on the production of oxygen metabolites in th e human polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL), both intra- and extracellu larly. Ropivacaine, a new long-acting amino-amide local anaesthetic ag ent, bupivacaine, lidocaine, mepivacaine and prilocaine in concentrati ons 1-5 mu g . ml(-1) up to 500-1000 mu g . ml(-1) were compared to an untreated control. PMNLs were isolated from heparinized blood (health y adult volunteers). Cells were incubated with the various local anaes thetics (37 degrees C, 30 min), then placed in a Biolumat (luminol-amp lified chemiluminescence) and stimulated by formyl-methionyl-leucyl-ph enyial anine (FMLP), phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) or ionomycin. Hor seradish peroxidase (HRP) was added to discriminate between an intra- or extracellular response. In general, a decrease in chemiluminescence -response was seen with higher concentrations (500-1000 mu g . ml(-1)) of the various local anaesthetics. Lidocaine showed a decrease even a t lower concentrations. A marked increase in intracellular response fo r prilocaine 1000 mu g . ml(-1) (3894 mu mol . l(-1)) accompanied by a reduction in extracellular response, using FMLP +/- HRP as a stimuli, was noted. Ropivacaine 1000 mu g . ml(-1) (3216 mu mol . l(-1)) showe d a decrease both intra- and extracellularly that was similar to, and even somewhat more pronounced than lidocaine 1000 mu g . ml(-1) (3692 mu mol . l(-1)), when using PMA with or without HRP as the stimuli.