Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Local Anesthetics: Common Agents and Their Applications01:23

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...
Local Anesthetics: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship01:30

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 Anesthesia01:29

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...
Local Anesthetics: Adverse Effects01:12

Local Anesthetics: Adverse Effects

While local anesthetics are generally safe and well-tolerated, they can occasionally cause adverse effects that vary in severity. Local anesthetics can induce toxicity at two distinct levels. They can either produce local effects through direct contact with the neural elements or be absorbed into the bloodstream from the injection site, leading to systemic effects.
Once absorbed into the systemic circulation, local anesthetics can affect the organs that depend on the functioning of sodium...
Local Anesthetics: Mechanism of Action01:23

Local Anesthetics: Mechanism of Action

Local anesthetics (LAs) block sensory and motor impulses by inhibiting the sodium channels on the nerve cell membranes. This induces temporary loss of sensation, relieving pain in a specific body area.
Local anesthetics are amphiphilic molecules consisting of a hydrophobic aromatic part linked to a hydrophilic group by an ester or amide linkage. They are weak bases and are usually available as salts, which increases their solubility and stability. Once administered, LAs exist in the body either...
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Spinal Anesthesia01:11

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Spinal Anesthesia

Spinal anesthetics are given during lower abdomen and limb surgeries to block sensory and motor neurons. They are administered in the mid to low lumbar regions, primarily acting on the cauda equina's nerve roots. The blockade level depends on the local anesthetic (LA) concentration. Usually, low LA concentrations are sufficient to block sensory fibers, while only high LA concentrations block motor fibers. Other factors like injection volume and speed, the patient's posture, and the drug...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Continuous Erector Spinae Plane Block for Postoperative Analgesia After Intestinal Resection and Hernia Repair Surgery: A Case Report.

The American journal of case reports·2025
Same author

Benchmarking microfluidic and immunomagnetic platforms for isolating circulating tumor cells in pancreatic cancer.

Lab on a chip·2025
Same author

Corrigendum to "Does spinal chloroprocaine pharmacokinetic profile actually translate into a clinical advantage in terms of clinical outcomes when compared to low-dose spinal bupivacaine? A systematic review and meta-analysis" [Journal of Clinical Anesthesia 2019;52: 99-104].

Journal of clinical anesthesia·2025
Same author

Tensor Fasciae Latae and Gluteus Maximus Muscles: Do They Contribute to Hip Abduction?

Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society·2024
Same author

Endoscopic Retrieval of a Metallic Cross in a Patient With Acute Psychosis and Religious Delusions.

ACG case reports journal·2024
Same author

Cerebrospinal fluid pressure dynamics across the intra- and postoperative setting: Retrospective study of a spine surgery cohort.

Journal of clinical neuroscience : official journal of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia·2024
Same journal

The evolution of nonoperating room anesthesia: navigating a new frontier.

Current opinion in anaesthesiology·2026
Same journal

Enhanced recovery pathways for patients with chronic pain: beyond standard protocols - a narrative review.

Current opinion in anaesthesiology·2026
Same journal

Novel technologies and innovations in postoperative follow-up after regional anesthesia.

Current opinion in anaesthesiology·2026
Same journal

Regional anaesthesia and analgesia in surgical patients with chronic preoperative pain: mechanisms, evidence, and clinical implications.

Current opinion in anaesthesiology·2026
Same journal

Retention in pain care and research: a narrative review focused on implanted medical devices.

Current opinion in anaesthesiology·2026
Same journal

Airway ultrasound in patients undergoing head and neck surgery.

Current opinion in anaesthesiology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Optogenetic Activation of Afferent Pathways in Brain Slices and Modulation of Responses by Volatile Anesthetics
08:16

Optogenetic Activation of Afferent Pathways in Brain Slices and Modulation of Responses by Volatile Anesthetics

Published on: July 23, 2020

Update on local anesthetics.

Alain Borgeat1, José Aguirre

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland. alain.borgeat@balgrist.ch

Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology
|July 9, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Local anesthetics offer more than pain relief and heart rhythm control. Emerging research explores their use in post-operative recovery, neurological protection, chronic pain management, and even cancer recurrence, revealing novel therapeutic potentials.

More Related Videos

Assessing Changes in Volatile General Anesthetic Sensitivity of Mice after Local or Systemic Pharmacological Intervention
08:49

Assessing Changes in Volatile General Anesthetic Sensitivity of Mice after Local or Systemic Pharmacological Intervention

Published on: October 16, 2013

Recording Brain Electromagnetic Activity During the Administration of the Gaseous Anesthetic Agents Xenon and Nitrous Oxide in Healthy Volunteers
14:52

Recording Brain Electromagnetic Activity During the Administration of the Gaseous Anesthetic Agents Xenon and Nitrous Oxide in Healthy Volunteers

Published on: January 13, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Optogenetic Activation of Afferent Pathways in Brain Slices and Modulation of Responses by Volatile Anesthetics
08:16

Optogenetic Activation of Afferent Pathways in Brain Slices and Modulation of Responses by Volatile Anesthetics

Published on: July 23, 2020

Assessing Changes in Volatile General Anesthetic Sensitivity of Mice after Local or Systemic Pharmacological Intervention
08:49

Assessing Changes in Volatile General Anesthetic Sensitivity of Mice after Local or Systemic Pharmacological Intervention

Published on: October 16, 2013

Recording Brain Electromagnetic Activity During the Administration of the Gaseous Anesthetic Agents Xenon and Nitrous Oxide in Healthy Volunteers
14:52

Recording Brain Electromagnetic Activity During the Administration of the Gaseous Anesthetic Agents Xenon and Nitrous Oxide in Healthy Volunteers

Published on: January 13, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Anesthesiology
  • Pain Medicine

Background:

  • Local anesthetics traditionally target sodium channels for analgesia and antiarrhythmic effects.
  • Their established roles in pain management and cardiac function are well-documented.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review novel and emerging indications for local anesthetics beyond their conventional uses.
  • To discuss the limitations and potential adverse effects associated with these expanded applications.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent research on local anesthetic applications.
  • Synthesis of findings related to new therapeutic targets and clinical investigations.

Main Results:

  • Intravenous local anesthetics show promise in improving post-surgical/trauma bowel function.
  • Investigated roles include central nervous system protection, chronic neuropathic pain insights, and impact on cancer recurrence.
  • Recent data on myotoxicity and chondrotoxicity are also presented.

Conclusions:

  • Local anesthetics possess a wide array of potential applications beyond analgesia and antiarrhythmic actions.
  • Many of these novel indications require further investigation and clinical validation.
  • Future research is expected to significantly expand the understanding and utilization of local anesthetics.