Journal of Anesthesia and Surgery | 2015-05-08

Future local anaesthetics- Neurotoxins?

Prasanna vadhanan

Abstract

The currently available local anaesthetic agents are non-specific blockers of the sodium channel. Neurotoxins, derived from various sources are very potent, specific blockers of the voltage gated sodium channels. Their site of action is also quite different from the local anaesthetics. The major toxic manifestation of neurotoxins is muscle paralysis, which is easier to manage as compared to the more serious cardiac and central nervous system effects of conventional local anaesthetics. A brief mention of the currently relevant neurotoxins and the early studies are summarized.

Keywords: Local Anaesthetics, neurotoxins