Lidocaine suppresses subthreshold oscillations by inhibiting persistent Na(+) current in injured dorsal root ganglion neurons.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect and mechanism of low concentration of lidocaine on subthreshold membrane potential oscillations (SMPO) and burst discharges in chronically compressed dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. DRG neurons were isolated by enzymatic dissociation method. SMPO, burst discharges and single spike were elicited by whole cell patch-clamp technique in current clamp mode. Persistent Na(+) current (I(NaP)) and transient Na(+) current (I(NaT)) were elicited in voltage clamp mode. The results showed that SMPO was suppressed and burst discharges were eliminated by tetrodotoxin (TTX, 0.2 micromol/l) in current clamp mode, I(NaP) was blocked by 0.2 micromol/l TTX in voltage clamp mode. SMPO, burst discharges and I(NaP) were also suppressed by low concentration of lidocaine (10 micromol/l) respectively. However, single spike and I(NaT) could only be blocked by high concentration of lidocaine (5 mmol/l). From these results, it is suggested that I(NaP) mediates the generation of SMPO in injured DRG neurons. Low concentration of lidocaine (10 micromol/l) suppresses SMPO by selectively inhibiting I(NaP), but not I(NaT), in chronically compressed DRG neurons.