Light-triggered release of conventional local anesthetics from a macromolecular prodrug for on-demand local anesthesia.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 32385252.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-020-16177-w and PMC identifier 7210304.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
An on-demand anesthetic that would only take effect when needed and where the intensity of anesthesia could be easily adjustable according to patients' needs would be highly desirable. Here, we design and synthesize a macromolecular prodrug (P407-CM-T) in which the local anesthetic tetracaine (T) is attached to the polymer poloxamer 407 (P407) via a photo-cleavable coumarin linkage (CM). P407-CM-T solution is an injectable liquid at room temperature and gels near body temperature. The macromolecular prodrug has no anesthetic effect itself unless irradiated with a low-power blue light emitting diode (LED), resulting in local anesthesia. By adjusting the intensity and duration of irradiation, the anesthetic effect can be modulated. Local anesthesia can be repeatedly triggered.
Medical subject headings
- Anesthetics, Local