Articaine 3941454 221946730 2008-06-26T20:33:08Z LordRM 94925 fix {{Drugbox| | image = Articaine.svg | IUPAC_name = methyl 4-methyl-3-(2-propylaminopropanoylamino)thiophene-2-carboxylate hydrochloride | ATC_prefix= ? | ATC_suffix= ? | PubChem= ? | DrugBank= ? | CAS_number = 23964-57-0 | C=13 | H=20 | N=2 | O=3 | S=1 | molecular_weight = 320.836 g/mol | bioavailability = ? | metabolism = [[Liver]], Plasma | elimination_half-life = ? | excretion = ? | pregnancy_category = ? | legal_status = ? | routes_of_administration = [[Subcutaneous]], ? }} '''Articaine''' is a dental local anesthetic. It is manufactured and distributed by Septodont under the brand name Septocaine. Articaine hydrochloride 4% with [[epinephrine]] 1:100,000 injection. Septocaine was first approved for use in Germany in 1976 and throughout Europe shortly after. Canada approved usage in 1982, with the US FDA following in 2000. Qualities such as fast acting nature and strength of dosage have made it more appealing for use by dentists than other available anesthetics such as [[novocaine]] and [[lidocaine]]. == Structure and Metabolism == Articaine is unique among local anesthetics because it contains a [[thiophene]] group, and also because it contains both [[ester]] and [[amide]] groups. Articaine is an amide anesthetic due to the amide intermediate chain, and undergoes hepatic metabolism. However, the associated ester group also allows plasma metabolism via pseudocholinesterase, purportedly increasing the rate of breakdown and reducing its toxicity. This difference in metabolism gives articaine the distinct advantage of having a 30 minute half life, as opposed to drugs such as lidocaine that have a 90 min. half life. == Complications == Serious complications have been associated with Septocaine. Long-term or transient [[paresthesia]] is among the worst of the reported side effects of Septocaine which occurs much more frequently than with lidocaine. {{Fact|date=August 2007}} It should be noted that almost all recorded cases of long term numbness or [[parasthesia]] in a dental setting are associated with a mandibular nerve block type injection and simple infiltration injections are generally thought to be immune from such complications. For this reason many dentists have abandoned using articaine for mandibular nerve blocks. == Clinical use == Articaine is often used by dentists for patients in whom lidocaine is not very effective. In people with [[hypokalemic sensory overstimulation]] lidocaine is not very effective and articaine works well<ref>{{cite journal |author= Segal MM, Rogers GF, Needleman HL, Chapman CA |title= Hypokalemic sensory overstimulation |journal= J Child Neurol |volume=22 |issue=12 |pages=1408–10 |year=2007 |doi=10.1177/0883073807307095 |pmid=18174562}}</ref>. ==External links== *[http://www.septodont.com Official Site] *[http://www.chemindustry.com/chemicals/810897.html Structure] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17477212?ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum ==References== <references/> {{Local anesthetics}} [[Category:Anesthetics]] [[Category:Dental equipment]] [[Category:Thiophenes]] {{Pharma-stub}} [[de:Articain]] [[fr:Articaïne]] [[pt:Articaína]]