Procaine

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What is Procaine?

Procaine is a local anesthetic belonging to the amino ester group. It is used to numb specific areas for surgeries, block pain from peripheral nerves, and perform spinal nerve blocks, which are procedures that help manage pain by targeting nerves connected to the spine.

Overall Risk:

Moderate to severe. The combination can significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular complications, overdose, and severe side effects due to the additive effects of these substances, even with small amounts

Concern:
Vasodilation, methemoglobinemia, hypotension
Severity:

Moderate

Risk of OD:
Increased

Procaineused as cutting agent for可卡因

The main health problems caused by Procaine are related to its effects on certain (sodium) channels in the heart, which can lead to heart-related issues. Also, using Procaine for a long time or in large amounts can trigger hypersensitivity reactions. These reactions often show up as skin issues and can lead to other serious health problems, highlighting the importance of using this drug carefully.

Why it's used as a cutting substance?

Procaine is used as a cutting agent with cocaine due to its physical similarity to cocaine, which can make the cocaine appear purer. However, it does not have the euphoric and addictive qualities that put cocaine at risk for abuse.

Interaction

Procaine can boost the numbing effects of cocaine and may even extend its euphoric effects by enhancing the activity related to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the central nervous system. Additionally, because Procaine physically resembles cocaine, mixing it with cocaine can make the drug look purer. This perceived increase in purity can make the cocaine more appealing on the market, even though it's actually been adulterated.

Short-term effects

  • Numbness, loss of feeling, and relief from pain and itching associated with various conditions like burns, sunburn, scrapes, insect bites, or minor skin irritations.

Long-term effects

  • Not typically common due to its short half-life and limited therapeutic applications.
  • However, prolonged use can lead to side effects like vasodilation, hypotension, irregular heart rate, and muscle contractile issues.

Sources

  1. Procaine: Uses, Interactions, Mechanism of Action | DrugBank Online | [LINK]
  2. Fowler, G.C. (2020). Pfenninger and Fowler’s Procedures for Primary Care (4th ed.). Elsevier. [ISBN:9780323476331]
  3. US Food & Drug Administration: FDA notification regarding unapproved local anesthetics and required methemoglobinemia warning (October 22, 2018) [Link]
  4. Sheikh NK, Dua A. Procaine. [Updated 2023 May 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. [ Link ]
  5. National Center for Biotechnology Information (2024). PubChem Compound Summary for CID 4914, Procaine. Retrieved April 22, 2024 from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Procaine.

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