Another look at local anesthetics: An overview of antimicrobial properties

Loss of sensation in ​​the part of the body is called local anesthesia. Local anesthetics (LAs) can treat pain in specific areas of the body by blocking sodium channels. They have also been introduced in several studies as antimicrobial agents. In the present study, special attention has been paid to their role as antimicrobial agents and their effects in treatment.By means of several databases, related key words for antimicrobial agents were searched until the end of 2021. Initially, by restricting the search, unrelated and duplicate studies were eliminated, and after reviewing the appropriate abstracts and complete texts,, they were appended to the present study.This study is focusing on the antimicrobial application of LAs , their interfering with various agents in combination with them, the mechanism of action, and the structural dependence on the antimicrobial effects . The following results have been perceived:1- Structure, concentration, duration of exposure, type of microorganism and temperature affect the antimicrobial activity.2. Compounds such as opioids, antibiotics, etc. can be combined with them and affect the antimicrobial properties.3- Lidocaine has been studied the most and has been effective in prevention and treatment.4- Due to their antimicrobial activity, they can be used in the clinic to prevent infection at the surgical site.