Benzonatate as a local anesthetic.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Benzonatate is an FDA-approved antitussive agent that resembles tetracaine, procaine, and cocaine in its chemical structure. Based on structural similarities to known local anesthetics and recent findings of benzonatate exerting local anesthetic-like effects on voltage-gated sodium channels in vitro, we hypothesized that benzonatate will act as a local anesthetic to yield peripheral nerve blockade.

Methods

Benzonatate was injected at the sciatic nerve of Sprague-Dawley rats. Sensory and motor blockade were assessed using a modified hot plate test and a weight-bearing test, respectively. Additionally, the effect of co-injection with tetrodotoxin and Tween 80 (a chemical permeation enhancer) was examined. Myotoxicity of benzonatate was assessed in vivo by histolog

SUBMITTER: McGuire A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10096445 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature