Effects of an Intraparenchymal Injection of Lidocaine in the Rat Cervical Spinal Cord

Lidocaine effects in the spinal cord have been extensively investigated over the years. Although the intrathecal route is usually used to treat insults occurring in the spinal cord, the local delivery drug via intraparenchymal infusions has gained increasing favor for the treatment of some neurodegenerative disorders. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the behavioral and tissue effects of the intraparenchymal injection of different concentrations of lidocaine into the rat cervical spinal cord. Young male Sprague–Dawley rats were intraparenchymally injected with 0.5%, 1% or 2% lidocaine at the C5 segment of the spinal cord. Other rats were injected with saline solution (sham group). Hot plate test was determined at 0, 1, 2, 3, 7 and 14 post-injection (pi) days. Rats of each experimental group were euthanized either at 1, 2, 3, 7 or 14 pi days. Intact animals were used as controls. Sections of the C5 segment were used for histological, immunohistochemical or immunofluorescence analysis. Injection of 0.5% lidocaine did not affect neuronal counting, did not evoke an inflammatory reaction, nor induce astrocyte activation. Therefore, a concentration of 0.5% lidocaine is suggested to promote anti-inflammatory effects after injury.