title: Topical anesthesia of the skin by liposome-encapsulated tetracaine.
abstract: The potential of a liposomal local anesthetic formulation to provide topical anesthesia of the intact skin was investigated. Tetracaine base 0.5% was encapsulated into multilamellar phospholipid vesicles. The topical anesthetic effects of the liposomal and a control (Pontocaine cream) preparation were evaluated by pinprick technique in adult volunteers. Liposomal tetracaine-produced anesthesia, which lasted at least 4 hours after 1 hour application under occlusion. Pontocaine cream was ineffective. The liposomal formulation appeared to be suitable to provide long lasting anesthesia of the skin with low drug concentration.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gesztes
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mezei
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000772:Anesthesia, Local; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004339:Drug Compounding; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008081:Liposomes; D008297:Male; D013748:Tetracaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D008081:Liposomes; D013748:Tetracaine