Effects of Procaine Concentration and Duration of Contact on Oxygen Consumption in Bovine Dental Pulp

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Abstract
The present study measured the rates of oxygen consumption in pulp slices in 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0% concentrations of procaine hydrochloride solutions respectively, and at hourly intervals for 5 consecutive hours. Because of the metabolic variability of different pulps, the oxygen consumption rate of each specimen exposed to procaine was compared to that of a control specimen sliced from the same pulp. Experimental results were expressed as percentages of control oxygen quotients. Except for the indistinguishable effects of the 1.0 and 2.0% procaine solutions, the rate of respiration was depressed approximately in proportion to the concentration of the drug. The depression of respiration became progressively more profound throughout the 5-hour period with all concentrations of procaine employed. This suggests that procaine can be lethal for tissues if sufficient time is allowed for its action. Since procaine depresses the rate of oxygen consumption in tissues, it is surmised that degenerative changes induced occasionally by heavy infiltration anesthesia may be less attributable to anoxia from vasoconstriction than to the toxic effect of procaine that is retained locally by vasoconstriction.