Local anesthetics

• Local anaesthetics are generally classifi ed into the following groups

:
1. Natural agents
a. Cocaine

2. Synthetic nitrogenous compounds

a. Derivatives of benzoic acid
b. Derivatives of para-amino benzoic acid
i. Freely soluble: Procaine, Amethocaine.
ii. Poorly soluble: Benzocaine, Orthocaine
c. Derivatives of acetanilide: Lignocaine, Mepivacaine,
Bupivacaine, Prilocaine, Etidocaine.

• d. Derivatives of quinoline: Cinchocaine, dimethisoquin

3. Synthetic non-nitrogenous agents: Benzyl alcohol, propanediol
4. Miscellaneous drugs with local action: Clove oil, phenol,
chlorpromazine and certain antihistamines, for example,
diphenhydramine