Local anesthetic - bupivacaine increases the transperitoneal transport of solutes. Part II: In vitro study

The local anesthetic, bupivacaine, alters the mesothelial permeability to urea and inulin. The effect is biphasic; an initial transient decrease is followed by an increase in permeability of the membrane to both solutes. Cytochalasin B and colchicine can mimic partically the action of bupivacaine, but without the initial decrease in the mesothelial permeability. Similar to bupivacaine, verapamil also evokes a biphasic effect on the transmesothelial flux of urea and inulin. In conclusion bupivacaine induces changes both in transcellular and intercellular pathways, due to its interaction with calcium ions and the cytoskeleton of the mesothelial cells.