Drug Groups

approved

Description

Hexylcaine hydrochloride, also called cyclaine (Merck) or osmocaine, is a short-acting local anesthetic. It acts by inhibiting sodium channel conduction. Overdose can lead to headache, tinnitus, numbness and tingling around the mouth and tongue, convulsions, inability to breathe, and decreased heart function.

Indication

Used as a local anesthetic for surface application, infiltration or nerve block

Pharmacology

Hexylcaine is a local ester-class anesthetic. Local anesthetics produce a transient block of nerve conduction by interfering with sodium channels. This effect of the anesthetic interferes with the development of an action potential across the nerve.

Toxicity

Symptoms of anesthetic overdose include headache, tinnitus, circumoral and tongue paresthesias, restlessness, talkativeness, facial twitching, convulsions, respiratory arrest, and cardiac depression

Affected Organisms

Biotransformation

Hydrolyzed by plasma esterases to benzoic acid and other derivatives

Half Life

<10 minutes

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