Neuropharmacology
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of diphenidol on blocking Na(+) currents and spinal anesthesia. We used the patch-clamp method to examine if diphenidol blocked Na(+) currents. Lidocaine, a common used local anesthesia, was used as control. ⋯ Although diphenidol had similar potencies of spinal anesthesia compared with lidocaine it produced a much longer duration of spinal blockades than lidocaine. Our results demonstrated that intrathecal diphenidol produced a long duration and similar potency on spinal anesthesia compared with lidocaine in rats. The anesthetic effect of diphenidol could be in part due to its blockade of Na(+) currents.