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Differential effects of lidocaine and tramadol on modified nerve impulse by 4-aminopyridine in rats
Tufan Mert1, Yasemin Gunes, Mustafa Guven
1Department of Biophysics, University of Cukurova, School of Medicine, Balcali, TR-01330 Adana, Turkey. tufanmert@yahoo.com
Abstract:
We have used the sucrose gap method to measure the effects of drugs on the electrophysiological properties of rat sciatic nerves. The results showed that 4-aminopyridine produced a slight conduction block, prolonged the duration of action potential, enhanced the hyperpolarizing afterpotential, and elicited a hump that followed the action potential. In the presence of 4-aminopyridine, the impulse-blocking activity of lidocaine and tramadol was enhanced. Both lidocaine and tramadol effectively depressed the delayed depolarization generated by 4-aminopyridine. While tramadol decreased the activity-evoked hyperpolarizing afterpotentials, lidocaine completely removed them. These findings indicate that lidocaine may be more effective in blocking the Na(+) channels than tramadol. Tramadol may be more effective on the delayed rectifier K(+) channels than lidocaine.
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