Reversing Effect of Insulin on Local Anesthetics-Induced Sciatic Nerve Block in Rats

Local anesthetics are used in various purposes from topical and infiltration anesthesia to peripheral nerve or central neural blockade. Even though local anesthetics are relatively safe, they can have some toxic and adverse effects. Prolonged sensory and motor block is another example of an unwanted complication. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether insulin has a reversal effect on the peripheral (sciatic) nerve block with lidocaine or bupivacaine.

The surgically exposed sciatic nerves in rats were blocked with lidocaine or bupivacaine, and then 0.1 ml of normal saline or 0.1 ml normal saline containing 0.1 IU a short-acting form of insulin was administrated per body in each group. Before and after sciatic nerve block, as well as until recovery from the nerve block after normal saline or insulin treatment, nerve conduction studies such as monitoring loss and recovery of the waveforms and amplitudes were performed to evaluate the status of motor nerve conduction.

Complete recovery time of nerve conduction status in lidocaine + normal saline group was 58 ± 16 min, whereas that in lidocaine + insulin group was 17 ± 3 min and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01). Complete recovery time of nerve conduction status in bupivacaine + normal saline group was 116 ± 16 min and that in bupivacaine + insulin group was 36 ± 4 min and the two groups were significantly different (p < 0.01).

Insulin can reverse peripheral nerve block induced by lidocaine or bupivacaine.