Lidocaine inhibits neurite growth in mouse dorsal root ganglion cells in culture.

Recent clinical and experimental studies suggest the effectiveness of lidocaine in blocking neuropathic pain. Because it has been demonstrated that the pathogenetic mechanisms of neuropathic pain involve morphological changes in afferent neuronal terminals onto spinal cord, we examined the effects of lidocaine on neurite growth in isolated mouse dorsal root ganglion cells in culture. Incubation for 2-42 h with various concentrations of lidocaine (0.006 mM, 0.6 mM, and 30 mM) reduced the number of cells exhibiting neurites. The effects were time- and dose-dependent. Lidocaine therefore may exert its pharmacological effect, at least in part, by changing neuronal structures derived from sensory neurons.