The structural domain of LAs responsible for their lipophilicity is the aromatic group. The lipid solubility or partition coefficient of LAs determine their ability to pass through biological membranes and reach their sites of action.2-10 Therefore, the primary determinant of an agent’s potency is its partition coefficient. A LA with higher potency will require a lower dose to achieve the same degree of neuronal blockade as that achieved by an agent with lower potency (Table 2).
| Lidocaine | Mepivacaine | Prilocaine | Articaine | Bupivacaine | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lipid solubility | 43 | 21 | 25 | 17 | 346 |
| Relative potency | ≈2 | ≈1 | ≈1 | ≈1 | ≈8 |
| Formulations | 2% | 2% or 3% | 4% | 4% | 0.5% |
Your session is about to expire. Do you want to continue logged in?
WARNING! You did not finish creating your certificate. Please click CONTINUE below to return to your previous page to complete the process. Failure to complete ALL the steps will result in a loss of this test score, and you will not receive credit for this course.
