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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...
Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

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 Opioids01:15

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 Anesthesia01:30

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: 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: 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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 23, 2026

A Modified Inflammatory Pain Model to Study the Analgesic Effect in Mice
06:54

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

Published on: November 15, 2024

Topical analgesics.

Murilo Pereira Flores1, Anita Perpetua Carvalho Rocha de Castro, Jedson dos Santos Nascimento

  • 1Anesthesiology Program, Santa Casa de Misericórdia da Bahia, Rua Marechal Floriano 420, Canela, Salvador, BA, Brazil. murilo_flores@yahoo.com.br

Revista Brasileira De Anestesiologia
|March 24, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Topical analgesics offer a promising alternative for pain management with fewer side effects than traditional methods. While some topical treatments like NSAIDs and capsaicin are effective, others require further research.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 23, 2026

A Modified Inflammatory Pain Model to Study the Analgesic Effect in Mice
06:54

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

Published on: November 15, 2024

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Pain Management
  • Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

  • Traditional pain treatment relies on systemic or neuraxial administration of analgesics, including opioids and NSAIDs.
  • These conventional routes are often linked to significant adverse effects, limiting their therapeutic utility.
  • Topical administration presents a viable alternative for delivering analgesics directly to the site of pain.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the mechanisms of action and clinical efficacy of various topical analgesics.
  • To evaluate the potential of topical drug delivery for pain management.
  • To discuss the current evidence supporting the use of different classes of topical analgesics.

Main Methods:

  • This paper is a review of existing literature on topical analgesics.
  • It examines the application of local anesthetics, capsaicin, clonidine, tricyclic antidepressants, ketamine, opioids, and cannabinoids.
  • The review synthesizes information on their mechanisms of action and reported effectiveness.

Main Results:

  • Topical analgesics demonstrate potential for pain treatment with a reduced incidence of side effects.
  • The efficacy of topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and capsaicin is well-established.
  • Evidence for the effectiveness of topical clonidine, tricyclic antidepressants, ketamine, opioids, and cannabinoids remains inconclusive.

Conclusions:

  • Topical analgesics are a promising strategy for pain relief due to their favorable side effect profile.
  • Further research is needed to confirm the efficacy of several topical agents, including clonidine, tricyclic antidepressants, ketamine, opioids, and cannabinoids.
  • A multimodal approach to topical pain management may offer benefits, but requires additional investigation.