[Comparative effects of vitamin C on the effects of local anesthetics ropivacaine, bupivacaine, and

Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Intra-articular injections of local anesthetics are commonly used to enhance post-operative analgesia following orthopedic surgery as arthroscopic surgeries. Nevertheless, recent reports of severe complications due to the use of intra-articular local anesthetic have raised concerns.
OBJECTIVES:
The study aims to assess use of vitamin C in reducing adverse effects of the most commonly employed anesthetics - ropivacaine, bupivacaine and lidocaine - on human chondrocytes.
METHODS:
The chondrocyte viability following exposure to 0.5% bupivacaine or 0.75% ropivacaine or 1.0% lidocaine and/or vitamin C at doses 125, 250 and 500μM was determined by Live/Dead assay and annexin V staining. Expression levels of caspases 3 and 9 were assessed using antibodies by Western blotting. Flow cytometry was performed to analyze the generation of reactive oxygen species.
RESULTS:
On exposure to the local anesthetics, chondrotoxicity was found in the order ropivacaineCONCLUSIONS:
Vitamin C was observed to effectively protect chondrocytes against the toxic insult of local anesthetics ropivacaine, bupivacaine and lidocaine.
Copyright © 2015 Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.
KEYWORDS:
Anestésicos locais; Bupivacaine; Bupivacaína; Chondrocytes; Condrócitos; Lidocaine; Lidocaína; Local anesthetics; Ropivacaine; Ropivacaína; Vitamin C; Vitamina C