The influence of bupivacaine on the whole blood chemiluminescence in laboring women--a preliminary report.

Objective: Local anesthetics are able to inhibit inflammatory phenomena. The influence of bupivacaine broadly applied in obstetrical anesthesia on the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production is a matter of controversy. The study was aimed at elucidation of the influence of racemic bupivacaine on the opsonized zymosan (OZ) stimulated-peripheral blood chemiluminescence (CL) in laboring women, reflecting the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production associated with phagocytosis.
Material and Methods: Blood samples drawn from 8 healthy parturients in active spontaneous labor and from 5 healthy non-pregnant controls were incubated with the 0.3, 30, and 3000 microM bupivacaine concentrations and then luminol-dependent OZ-stimulated whole blood CL was assessed.
Results: Bupivacaine depressed CL; however the inhibitory effect was significant only at the highest, clinically irrelevant concentration (3000 microM), in parturients being comparable to that observed in non-pregnant women.
Conclusions: Bupivacaine at clinically relevant concentrations does not influence ROS production accompanying phagocytosis in peripheral blood of laboring women. The effect is comparable in parturients and non-pregnant controls.