It is impossible to imagine medicine without procaine. Developed as early as the late 19th century, it is still considered an effective agent for the acute as well as long-term treatment of pain.
What is procaine?
Procaine is well-established in dental medicine because it can prevent uncomfortable pain, especially when a tooth is extracted. Basically, the procaine is a local anesthetic. It is used to anesthetize the affected part of the body before minor surgical procedures. In this respect, it is well established in dental medicine, as it can prevent unpleasant pain when a tooth is extracted. In addition, due to its properties, procaine has also been developed as a therapy for chronic ailments. It stimulates blood circulation and ensures relaxation of the inflammation foci. Thus, the remedy also occupies a high place in alternative and homeopathic treatment. Basically, the procaine is in the form of a white powder, but for better administration it is regularly mixed with liquid carriers and thus can be transmitted not only as a tablet, but equally well as an injection.
Pharmacological action
The main action of procaine involves an intervention on the so-called sodium channels in the organism. They are responsible for those tensions that subsequently cause blockage of blood flow and lead to pain in a particular part of the body. Procaine acts on these channels and inhibits their function for a certain period of time. In this way, the sodium flow in the channels is prevented from passing through the body, and in turn from triggering and transporting stimuli to the brain. Therefore, although the pain foci can in fact arise, the signal is not transmitted and cannot be recognized as such by the affected person. This makes it possible, on the one hand, to achieve an anesthetic effect for spontaneous applications and, on the other hand, to alleviate chronic inflammations and diseases. Depending on the application, the procaine is produced in different acid contents and proton quantities and can therefore penetrate the affected cell membranes particularly well. However, if the procaine is not applied correctly, the effect of the local anesthetic will be too low, resulting in an increased sensation of pain. Thus, it is not the amount of procaine that determines the success of the procedure, but its composition.
Medical application and use
In general, procaine has gained a reputation as a short-acting anesthetic since it was first developed in 1898. It was therefore increasingly used in dental procedures where the patient was not to lapse into anesthesia but was to remain awake. However, the anesthetic has not been able to survive advances in health care and is currently mostly displaced by more effective anesthetics. Nevertheless, procaine has advantages unknown to many alternative products. It is able to lead to increased blood flow to a specific region of the body and thus have a relaxing effect. Thus, procaine has acquired a high value as an alternative treatment, especially in homeopathy and other areas of gentle medicine. Here it is not only used for acute relief, but can also be applied in small doses over a longer period of time to remove blockages and thus promote recovery. Depending on the clinical picture, different forms of administration are conceivable in order to actually make the active ingredient accessible to those areas of the body that are dependent on it. The displacement from conventional medicine thus opens up another mode of application for procaine.
Risks and side effects
Various side effects are known for procaine. These include when the agent is administered via an injection, for example, minor swelling of the treated skin region to redness, an itching and hives. When used in the mouth, blistering of the mucous membranes cannot be ruled out. If the procaine is taken as a tablet, it leads to nausea in some situations, as well as increased activity of the gastrointestinal tract. Diarrhea and vomiting, as well as an inner restlessness, are then among the most common complaints. The same applies to taking it as a liquid solution, in which case the drug can now also trigger a high level of nervousness and further states of agitation.However, these side effects are always dependent on the physical constitution of the patient as well as the dosage form of the procaine.