Cytotoxic responses of human chondrocytes to bupivacaine, levobupivacaine, and ropivacaine
Article Category: Brief communication (original)
Published Online: Sep 25, 2019
Page range: 169 - 178
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/abm-2019-0017
Keywords
© 2018 Pudkrong Kaewpichit et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.
Background
Intra-articular injections of local anesthetics are used commonly in articular surgery. However, chondrocyte viability and metabolism may be adversely affected by various anesthetics.
Objectives
To assess the chondrotoxic effects of bupivacaine, levobupivacaine, and ropivacaine on human chondrocytes and elucidate possible mechanisms of chondrocyte death.
Methods
Cultured human chondrocytes (CHON-001) were exposed to 0.25% or 0.5% of bupivacaine, levobupivacaine, and ropivacaine in vitro. Cell viability was determined by flow cytometry after 15, 30, 60, and 120 min of exposure. Chondrocyte reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was measured every 10 min for up to 1 h using 2ʹ,7ʹ-dichlorodihydrofluorescein staining. Chondrocyte production of glycosaminoglycan was measured by capillary electrophoresis. NO production was measured using a colorimetric assay kit.
Results
We found a significant increase in chondrotoxicity dependent on exposure time and concentration of the anesthetic. At 60 min, chondrocyte viability was significantly (
Conclusions
Ropivacaine may be safer than bupivacaine or levobupivacaine as an intra-articular analgesic. Chondrotoxicity of anesthetics in vitro may be mediated via a reactive nitrogen species-dependent pathway.