Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Local Anesthetics: Common Agents and Their Applications

Local Anesthetics: Common Agents and Their Applications

Local anesthetics (LAs) are commonly used for various applications in medical and dental procedures. Some of the common agents used are cocaine, lidocaine, and bupivacaine.
Cocaine is an ester of benzoic acid and methylecgogine. It is used to anesthetize and vasoconstrict locally. Currently, it is used primarily for topical applications. It is beneficial for surgeries on the upper respiratory tract, providing anesthesia and shrinking the mucosa. Cocaine in the form of cocaine hydrochloride is...

Analgesia and Pain Management

Analgesia and Pain Management

Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...

Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids

Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids

Synthetic and semisynthetic opioids are pivotal in pain management and tackling opioid addiction. Semisynthetic opioids, including morphinans (morphine derivatives), oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone, have improved pharmacokinetic profiles compared to morphine. Additionally, heroin and 6-MAM (6-Monoacetylmorphine) show better CNS penetration than morphine due to heightened lipid solubility. Hydromorphone, a potent opioid, undergoes hepatic metabolism to form the active...

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Surface, Infiltration, and Conduction Block Anesthesia

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Surface, Infiltration, and Conduction Block Anesthesia

Depending on the target organ, local anesthetics (LAs) can be administered via various routes. In surface anesthesia, LAs are applied directly to the surface of the skin or mucous membranes. It is widely used for topical skin numbing before venipuncture or minor surgical procedures. Commonly used surface local anesthetics are lidocaine or benzocaine sprays or creams. Surface anesthesia occurs within 5 minutes and lasts for about 60 minutes. One of the main disadvantages of topical anesthesia is...

Local Anesthetics: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship

Local Anesthetics: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship

Local anesthetics (LAs) are drugs that induce a temporary loss of sensation in a limited body area, preventing pain. Cocaine was the first local anesthetic discovered in the late 19th century. Cocaine is a benzoic acid ester obtained from the leaves of coca shrubs and was often used for its psychotropic effects. Cocaine was first isolated in 1860 by Albert Niemann. Sigmund Freud studied the physiological actions of cocaine. Carl Koller later introduced it into clinical practice in 1884 as a...

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia

Epidural anesthetics are administered in the fat-filled epidural space, the outermost part of the spinal canal. This technique is commonly employed for pain management and anesthesia during lower abdomen and pelvis surgeries or labor and delivery.
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Lacosamide for pain.

Expert opinion on investigational drugs·2010

Same author

Topical application of analgesics: a clinical option in day case anaesthesia?

Current opinion in anaesthesiology·2010

Same author

Pain perception in the elderly patient.

Clinics in geriatric medicine·2008

Same author

Pharmacological pain management in the elderly patient.

Clinical interventions in aging·2008

Same author

Antidepressants as analgesics.

CNS drugs·2008

Same author

Opioids for persistent noncancer pain.

Anesthesiology clinics·2007

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 6, 2026

A Modified Inflammatory Pain Model to Study the Analgesic Effect in Mice

A Modified Inflammatory Pain Model to Study the Analgesic Effect in Mice

Published on: November 15, 2024

Topical analgesic agents.

Gary McCleane¹

¹Rampark Pain Centre, 2 Rampark, Lurgan, BT66 7JH, Northern Ireland, UK. gary@mccleane.freeserve.co.uk

Clinics in Geriatric Medicine

|April 5, 2008

Summary

Topical pain relief offers a safe and effective alternative to systemic treatments. Local administration minimizes side effects and drug interactions, enhancing patient care for various pain conditions.

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Pharmacology
Pain Management

Background:

Pain transmission involves complex pathways.
Peripheral pain pathways are potential therapeutic targets.
Systemic drug administration can cause side effects.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the benefits of local topical administration for pain management.
To highlight advantages over systemic drug delivery.
To identify drugs with topical analgesic properties.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on pain processing and topical analgesics.
Analysis of therapeutic intervention strategies for peripheral pain.
Evaluation of drug administration routes.

More Related Videos

Determining heat and mechanical pain threshold in inflamed skin of human subjects

Determining heat and mechanical pain threshold in inflamed skin of human subjects

Published on: January 14, 2009

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 6, 2026

A Modified Inflammatory Pain Model to Study the Analgesic Effect in Mice

A Modified Inflammatory Pain Model to Study the Analgesic Effect in Mice

Published on: November 15, 2024

Determining heat and mechanical pain threshold in inflamed skin of human subjects

Determining heat and mechanical pain threshold in inflamed skin of human subjects

Published on: January 14, 2009

Main Results:

Local topical administration is a viable therapeutic option.
Advantages include patient acceptance, ease of use, and fewer side effects.
Drugs without specific topical indications may still offer analgesic benefits.

Conclusions:

Topical analgesic administration presents a low-risk approach to pain therapy.
It offers an alternative with reduced systemic exposure and drug interactions.
Further exploration of topical agents for pain relief is warranted.