Abstract
With the commercial availability of a cream (EMLA®) containing a eutectic mixture of local anaesthetics, 2.5% (w/w) lidocaine and 2.5% (w/w) prilocaine, effective topical anaesthesia of the intact skin is possible without the need for subcutaneous injections or exposure to high concentrations of local anaesthetics. In our hospital a topical anaesthetic product was designed for the same purpose. The home-made product contains a eutectic mixture of a local anaesthetic (5% w/w) and l-menthol (1% w/w). Prilocaine was used as the local anaesthetic because it is known for its safety and its well investigated analgesic effects. The eutectic mixture of prilocaine and l-menthol was mixed with a carbopol hydrogel (1% w/w). Preliminary testing of this anaesthetic hydrogel in our hospital has yielded satisfactory results. The anaesthetic hydrogel was found to be stable after at least 3 months' storage at ambient temperature.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Engberg G, Danielson K, Henneberg S, Nilsson A. Plasma concentrations of prilocaine and lidocaine and methaemoglobin formation in infants after epicutaneous application of a 5% lidocaine-prilocaine cream (EMLA). Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 1987;31:624–8.
Coley S. Anaesthesia of the skin (Editorial II). Br J Anaesth 1989;62:4–5.
Gajraj NM, Pennant JH, Watcha MF. Eutectic mixture of local anaesthetics (EMLA) cream. Anesth Analg 1994;78: 574–83.
Bonain A. Note au sujet de l'anesthesique local employé en oto-rhino-laryngologie sous la domination ‘liquide de Bonain’. Ann Malad Oreille Larynx 1907;33:216–7.
Carrasco VN, Prazma T, Biggers WP. A safe, effective anesthetic technique for outpatient myringotomy tube placement. Laryngoscope 1993;103(1 pt 1):92–3.
Hallen B, Carlsson P, Uppfeldt A. Clinical study of a lignocaine-prilocaine cream to relieve the pain of venepuncture. Br J Anaesth 1985;57:326–8.
Hannington-Kiff. Pharmacological target blocks in painful dystrophic limbs. In: Wall PD, Melzack R, editors. Textbook of pain. 2nd ed. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 1989: 751–67.
Juhlin L, Hägglund G, Evers H. Absorption of lidocaine and prilocaine after application of a eutectic mixture of local anaesthetics (EMLA) on normal and diseased skin. Acta Derm Venereol (Stockholm) 1989;69:18–22.
De Waard-van der Spek FB, Van den Berg GM, Oranje AP. Lidocaïne-prilocaïne-creme; een aanwinst bij lokale anesthesie [Lidocaine-prilocaine cream: an improvement in local anaesthesia]. Ned Tijdschr Geneesk 1991;135(30):1343–5.
Lokalanästhetika. In: Larsen Anästhesie, 3rd ed. München: Urban und Schwarzenberg, 1990:309–34.
Black RJ, Dawson TAJ, Strang WC. Contact sensitivity to lignocaine and prilocaine. Contact Dermatitis 1990;23(2):117–8.
Van den Hove J, Decroix J, Tennstedt D, Lachapelle JM. Allergic contact dermatitis from prilocaine, one of the local anaesthetics in EMLA cream. Contact Dermatitis 1994;30(4):239.
Bonica JJ. Local anaesthesia and regional blocks. In: Wall PD, Melzack R, editors. Textbook of pain. 2nd ed. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 1989:724–51.
Molodecka J, Stenhouse C, Jones JM, Tomlinson A. Comparison of percutaneous anaesthesia for venous cannulation after topical application of either amethocaine or EMLA cream. Br J Anaesth 1994;72:174–6.
Aliaga L, Santacana E. New developments in topical anaesthesia. A review of a novel eutectic mixture of local anaesthetics (EMLA). Res Clin Forum 1994;16:11–26.
Halperin DL, Koren G, Attias D, Pellegrini E, Greenberg ML, Wyss M. Topical skin anesthesia for venous, subcutaneous drug reservoir and lumbar punctures in children. Pediatrics 1989;84(2):281–4.
Buckley MM, Benfield P. Eutectic lidocaine/prilocaine cream. A review of the topical anaesthetic/analgesic efficacy of a eutectic mixture of local anaesthetics (EMLA). Drugs 1993;46(1):126–51.
States of matter and phase equilibria. In: Martin A, Swarbrick J, Cammarata A, editors. Physical pharmacy: physical and chemical principles in the pharmaceutical sciences. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger 1983;62–92.
Papa CM, Shelley WB. Menthol hypersensitivity. JAMA 1964;189(7):546–8.
Aguirre A, Oleaga JM, Zabala R, Izu R, Diaz-Pérez JL. Allergic contact dermatitis from Reflex spray. Contact Dermatitis 1994;30(1):52–3.
Wilkinson SM, Beck MH. Allergic contact dermatitis from menthol in peppermint. Contact Dermatitis 1994;30(1):42–3.
Bolhuis GK, Cox HLM, Zuidema J. Dermatica. In: Bolhuis GK, Cox HLM, Zuidema J, editors. Recepteerkunde [Drug compounding]. The Hague: Koninklijke Nederlandse Maatschappij ter Bevordering der Pharmacie, 1992;641–84.
Wiltink EHH, Stolk LML, Mulder CJJ, Tytgat GNJ. Klysma's bij de behandeling van colitis ulcerosa en de ziekte van Crohn [Enemas in the treatment of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease]. Pharm Weekbl 1988;123:385–7.
Informatorium Medicamentorum. The Hague: Koninklijke Nederlandse Maatschappij ter Bevordering der Pharmacie, 1995;686.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nortier, Y.L.M., van de Haven, J.A., Koks, C.H.W. et al. Preparation and stability testing of a hydrogel for topical analgesia. Pharm World Sci 17, 214–217 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01870614
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01870614