Lidocaine
XylocainePubChem CID 3676 · 3D model
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Numbs the nerves right where it's injected by blocking the tiny channels they need to send a pain signal, working locally rather than putting the whole brain to sleep the way propofol does.
How it works
Lidocaine works by numbing the nerves right where it's given. It blocks tiny channels in nerve cells that normally let sodium rush in — without that sodium flow, the nerve can't send a pain signal to the brain. That's different from a general anesthetic like propofol, also on this site, which works by calming the brain itself; lidocaine just switches off feeling in one local spot while you stay fully awake.
What it’s used for
Doctors and dentists use lidocaine to numb one specific part of the body before a procedure, like a dental filling, a skin biopsy, or setting a bone, without putting the whole patient to sleep.
- Mechanism
- Sodium-channel blocker (amide-type local anesthetic)
- Drug class
- Small molecule
- Therapeutic area
- CNS / Anesthesia