title: Local anaesthetic medication for the treatment of asthma.
abstract: It is presumed that drugs able to prevent bronchial spasm and/or inflammation may have therapeutic potential to control asthma symptoms. The local anaesthetic lidocaine has recently received increased attention as an alternative form of treatment for asthmatic patients. This paper reviews the major findings on the topic and summarizes the putative mechanisms underlying the airway effects of local anaesthetic agents. We think that lidocaine extends the spectrum of options in asthma therapy, probably by counteracting both spasmogenic and inflammatory stimuli in the bronchial airways. The possibility of development of new anti-asthma compounds based on the synthesis of lidocaine derivatives is also on the horizon.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Inflamação, Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacodinâmica, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21040-900, Brasil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Siqueira
authors.forename: Jorge C S
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Renato S B
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
authors.forename: Magda F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: Patrícia M R
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: e Silva
authors.forename: Marco A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Martins
mesh_terms: D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D008012:Lidocaine