The pharmacological effects of procaine are mainly reflected in the following aspects:
First, local anesthesia
Procaine is a local anesthetic, and its main mechanism of action is to produce conduction block by acting on peripheral nerves. Specifically, procaine is able to diffuse through nerve cell membranes depending on concentration gradients, thereby blocking sodium channels in the inner part of nerve cells. Sodium channel is an important structure in nerve cells, which controls the excitability of nerve cells by regulating the flow of sodium ions in and out. When the sodium ion channel is blocked, the concentration of sodium ions inside the nerve cell will gradually increase, resulting in an increase in the excitation threshold of the nerve cell, so that it cannot produce enough excitatory response, thereby blocking the transmission of nerve impulse and achieving the effect of local anesthesia. (Source: Health Baidu)
Procain is widely used in infiltration anesthesia, block anesthesia, subarachnoid anesthesia, epidural anesthesia and block therapy. It has the characteristics of short anesthesia time and quick effect. At the same time, because procaine is a short-acting drug, there is usually no obvious adverse reaction after surgery, so it has a wide range of clinical application. (Source: Health Baidu)
Second, analgesia
Procaine can reduce the transmission of nerve impulse by blocking the sodium ion channel in the nerve conduction path, so as to achieve the analgesic effect. This analgesic effect makes procaine an important role in surgery and other treatments that require local analgesia. (Source: 39 Drugs)
Third, central inhibition
At higher concentrations, procaine can directly act on the central nervous system and produce central inhibition. This inhibitory effect is manifested as reducing brain excitability, stabilizing nerve cell membrane potential, preventing abnormal discharge, and thus playing an anti-convulsive role. However, it should be noted that the central inhibitory effect of procaine is closely related to the dosage of the drug, and excessive use may lead to the deepening of central nervous system inhibition, coma, respiratory depression and other serious reactions. (Source: 39 Drugs)
Fourth, the role of cardiovascular system
Procaine also has some effects on the cardiovascular system. In small doses, procaine may excite the sympathetic nerve, increasing heart rate and blood pressure. However, with the increase of dose, procaine can inhibit peripheral vascular dilatation, ganglion nerve block, and reduce blood pressure and increase heart rate. These effects make procaine have a certain potential application in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, but at the same time, it is necessary to strictly control the dosage and monitor the patient's response. (Source: Youlai Doctor official website)
Fifth, other functions
In addition to the above main effects, procaine has a number of other effects. For example, it can inhibit the release of acetylcholine from presynaptic membrane and produce certain neuromuscular blocking effect. Enhancing the effect of non-depolarizing muscle relaxants; Directly inhibit smooth muscle, relieve smooth muscle spasm, etc. These effects make procaine have a wide application prospect in the treatment of many diseases in various clinical disciplines. (Source: Youlai Doctor official website)
Precautions for use
1. Skin test: Procaine may cause allergic reactions, so a skin allergy test must be done before use. Contraindicated in patients allergic to procaine.
2. Dose control: The dosage of procaine should be determined according to the patient's specific situation and surgical needs to avoid excessive use. Excessive use may lead to toxic reactions in the central nervous system and cardiovascular system.
3. Injection site: When procaine is injected, it is necessary to pay attention to the injection position and avoid injecting into the blood vessel.
4. Drug interactions: Procaine will interact with some drugs and substances, especially when interacting with vasoconstrictors and heparin and other drugs, special attention is needed.
In summary, procaine is a local anesthetic with various pharmacological effects and plays an important role in clinical anesthesia and pain treatment. However, attention needs to be paid to issues such as dose control, injection site selection, and drug interactions to ensure patient safety and therapeutic effectiveness.