Comparison of nerve conduction blocks by an opioid and a local anesthetic

The experiments were done on frog sciatic nerves, using a sucrose-gap recording technique. The aim of our study was to investigate and to compare the tonic and phasic conduction blocking potency of tramadol and lidocaine on whole nerve and their interactions with Ca2+. The concentration of a tramadol solution producing the same amount of tonic and phasic conduction blocks was three and six times higher than that needed for lidocaine, respectively. Increasing the Ca2+ concentration in the test solution enhanced the conduction blocking potency of tramadol, but decreased that of lidocaine. It is concluded that tramadol blocks nerve conduction like a local anesthetic but with a weaker effect than that of lidocaine. Interactions of Ca2+ and these drugs suggested that these drugs might have either different binding sites or different action mechanisms. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.