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CO2-Lasertonsillotomy Under Local Anesthesia in Adults
Published on: November 6, 2019
Local anesthetics
1Pain Research Center, BWH/MRB611, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115-6110, USA.
Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology
|November 8, 2006
Summary
Local anesthetics block pain by inhibiting voltage-gated sodium channels and affecting various other molecular targets. These versatile drugs offer synergistic analgesic mechanisms for effective pain relief.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Pain Management
Background:
- Local anesthetics are widely used for acute and chronic pain management.
- Their analgesic effects stem from interactions with diverse molecular targets involved in pain processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the broad molecular actions of local anesthetics in pain processing.
- To elucidate the mechanisms underlying their analgesic properties.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on local anesthetic actions on neuronal channels and receptors.
- Analysis of molecular targets including voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels, and various receptors.
Main Results:
- Local anesthetics block action potentials by inhibiting voltage-gated sodium channels, with higher affinity for open/inactivated states.
- They also inhibit voltage-gated calcium channels, suppress neurogenic inflammation, and affect receptors like TRPV1 and bradykinin B2.
- Spinal local anesthetics inhibit glutamate receptors and mitogen-activated protein kinases, while intravenous administration can reverse neuropathic pain at sub-blocking concentrations.
Conclusions:
- Local anesthetics exert analgesic effects through a synergistic combination of actions on multiple neuronal targets.
- These mechanisms contribute to their broad efficacy in managing various pain conditions.
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