Local Anaesthetics

Mechanism of Action

Local anaethetic drugs reversibly interfere with action potential generation and conduction in the neurons around which they are administered. To reach the neuronal plasma membrane where they act, local anaethetic drugs must first enter the nerve sheath. Only molecules lacking ionic charge may do this, and so local anaesthetic agents work more effectively in an alkaline pH when charge is neutral. Once inside the sheath, the drug gains charge and can then bind to voltage-gated Na⁺ channels, preventing depolarisation of the cell. Local anaesthetics also infiltrate and change the composition of the cell membrane to take effect. However, they do NOT alter resting membrane potential.

Pharmacokinetic Considerations

Local anaesthetics are weak bases and so at body pH of 7.4, more molecules are ionised than unionised. This makes it more difficult for drugs to cross the plasma membrane. Infected tissue has a lower pH than healthy tissue, causing the ratio of ionised:unionised molecules to increase. Because of this, there is poorly cellular uptake of local anaethetics in infected tisse, as they cannot cross the cell membrane. For more about the effect of pH on drugs, see the pharmacokinetics page.

The degree of plasma protein binding of individual drugs affects their distribution within the body and the duration of their action. Drugs which have a higher degree of binding have effects for a longer period of time, and in hypoproteinaemic animals, local anaesthetics have a shorter duration of action. For example, bupivicaine is 95% protein bound, compared to 65% for lidocaine, and so its effects will persist longer.