Local anaesthetics for acute reversible blockade of the sympathetic baroreceptor reflex in the rat

Sinoaortic denervation is a common method used in the investigation of function in the cardiovascular system. In the rat, this is usually accomplished by transection of the carotid sinus and aortic depressor nerves, which is permanent. We propose a novel, and simple method for acute baroreceptor denervation in the rat in which the region around the carotid sinuses is superfused with local anaesthetic agents. We demonstrate that complete baroreceptor denervation can be achieved for longer (bupivacaine, 30-60 min) or shorter (lignocaine, 10-30 min) periods, without harming the physiological state of the rat.