Chemicals and Drugs

Local Anesthetics

Drugs that block nerve conduction when applied locally to nerve tissue in appropriate concentrations. They act on any part of the nervous system and on every type of nerve fiber. In contact with a nerve trunk, these anesthetics can cause both sensory and motor paralysis in the innervated area. Their action is completely reversible. (From Gilman AG, et. al., Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 8th ed) Nearly all local anesthetics act by reducing the tendency of voltage-dependent sodium channels to activate.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

Drugs that block nerve conduction when applied locally to nerve tissue in appropriate concentrations. They act on any part of the nervous system and on every type of nerve fiber. In contact with a nerve trunk, these anesthetics can cause both sensory and motor paralysis in the innervated area. Their action is completely reversible. (From Gilman AG, et. al., Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 8th ed) Nearly all local anesthetics act by reducing the tendency of voltage-dependent sodium channels to activate.

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Synonyms

9 entry terms
  • Anesthetics, Conduction-Blocking
  • Anesthetics, Local
  • Conduction-Blocking Anesthetics
  • Local Anesthetic
  • Anesthetic, Local
  • Anesthetics, Conduction Blocking
  • Conduction Blocking Anesthetics
  • Anesthetics, Topical
  • Topical Anesthetics

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Aspects Covered

22 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings administration & dosage, adverse effects, analysis, blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemical synthesis, chemistry, classification, economics, history, immunology, isolation & purification, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, poisoning, radiation effects, standards, supply & distribution, therapeutic use, toxicity, urine.

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Indexing Annotation

see note at ANESTHETICS

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. D27.505.696.277w.100w.200w
  2. D27.505.696.663.850.025w
  3. D27.505.954.427.210w.100w.200w

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

QV 110

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Local Anesthetics. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D000779. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D000779
  2. Local Anesthetics. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_anesthetic
  3. Local Anesthetics. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1868462