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[Euphoric effect of lidocaine]
J Blanke1, J Wolstein, H J Paulus
1Rheinische Landes- und Hochschulklinik Essen.
Psychiatrische Praxis
|March 1, 1996
Summary
Lidocaine administered intravenously can induce short-lived euphoria in drug users, similar to cocaine effects. Further research is needed to understand the pharmacological basis of these mental alterations.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Neuroscience
- Addiction Medicine
Background:
- Local anesthetics like lidocaine and scandicaine are commonly used in medical procedures.
- Intravenous drug use is a significant public health concern, often involving illicit substances.
- The subjective effects of intravenously administered drugs can vary widely and are of interest in understanding addiction.
Observation:
- A 42-year-old individual with a history of drug addiction self-administered scandicaine and lidocaine intravenously.
- The individual reported experiencing psychological effects following the administration of these local anesthetics.
Findings:
- Intravenous lidocaine administration resulted in a transient state of euphoria.
- This reported euphoria was subjectively comparable to the effects previously experienced with cocaine use.
- Scandicaine administration did not appear to produce similar euphoric effects, though this was not explicitly detailed.
Implications:
- The findings suggest that lidocaine may possess psychoactive properties beyond its local anesthetic effects.
- Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying lidocaine-induced euphoria could offer insights into substance use disorders.
- Further investigation into the pharmacological hypotheses for these mental alterations is warranted to differentiate effects from scandicaine and lidocaine.