Bupivacaine

Like lidocaine, bupivacaine is an amide local anesthetic that provides local anesthesia through blockade of nerve impulse generation and conduction.[L30533 ] These impulses, also known as action potentials, critically depend on membrane depolarization produced by the influx of sodium ions into the neuron through voltage-gated sodium channels. Bupivacaine crosses the neuronal membrane and exerts its anesthetic action through blockade of these channels at the intracellular portion of their pore-forming transmembrane segments. The block is use-dependent, where repetitive or prolonged depolarization increases sodium channel blockade. Without sodium ions passing through the channel’s pore, bupivacaine stabilizes the membrane at rest and therefore prevents neurotransmission.

In general, the progression of anesthesia is related to the diameter, myelination and conduction velocity of affected nerve fibers. Clinically, the order of loss of nerve function is as follows: (1) pain, (2) temperature, (3) touch, (4) proprioception, and (5) skeletal muscle tone.

While it is well-established that the main action of bupivacaine is through sodium channel block, additional analgesic effects of bupivacaine are thought to potentially be due to its binding to the prostaglandin E2 receptors, subtype EP1 (PGE2EP1), which inhibits the production of prostaglandins, thereby reducing fever, inflammation, and hyperalgesia.