In Vitro, Inhibition of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Pathways Protects Against Bupivacaine- and Ropivacaine-Induced Neurotoxicity

Abstract

Given equipotent doses, the neurotoxic potential of lidocaine does not appear to be significantly different from that of bupivacaine and ropivacaine in vitro. Moreover, bupivacaine and ropivacaine do not exert their neurotoxicity differently on specific subsets of dorsal root ganglion neurons. Their neurotoxic effects are brought about through the activation of specific MAPKs; the specific pharmacologic inhibition of these kinases attenuates toxicity in vitro.