Effect of articaine on calcium transport in sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes isolated from medial pterygoid muscle

Local anesthetics used in dentistry have myotoxic effects. Articaine, also known as carticaine, is one of the local anesthetics most widely used in clinical dentistry. The aim of this work was to describe its effect on the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase isolated from medial pterygoid muscle. Ca-ATPase enzymatic activity was determined by a colorimetric method and ATP-dependent calcium uptake with a radioisotopic technique. Articaine inhibited both Ca-ATPase activity and calcium uptake in a concentration-dependent manner. Both inhibitory effects became evident at articaine concentrations lower than those employed in clinical dentistry. Half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (K) were 15.1 +/- 1.8 mM (n = 6) and 25.2 +/- 1.6 mM (n = 6) for enzymatic activity and calcium uptake, respectively. Preincubation of sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes with articaine enhanced Ca-ATPase activity in the absence of calcium ionophore, suggesting an ionophoric-like effect of the local anesthetic. We conclude that the inhibitory effect of articaine on the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase isolated from medial pterygoid muscle is due to a direct interaction of the anesthetic with the enzyme and to the increased membrane permeability to calcium induced by this drug.