Which amide local anesthetic is the only one that contains an ester component?

Which amide local anesthetic is the only one that contains an ester component?

• A. Articaine
• B. Lidocaine
• C. Prilocaine
• D. Mepivacine

Answer: (A)

Local anesthetics are classified by the chemical linkage in their molecule: esters or amides. Among the options, the molecule that stands out is articaine, because it contains an ester component in its structure even though it’s generally categorized as an amide. That ester linkage allows part of articaine to be hydrolyzed by plasma esterases, giving it distinctive pharmacokinetics compared with the other amide anesthetics. The remaining choices—lidocaine, prilocaine, and mepivacaine—are true amides with no ester group in their structure, so they do not have an ester component.

Local anesthetics are classified by the chemical linkage in their molecule: esters or amides. Among the options, the molecule that stands out is articaine, because it contains an ester component in its structure even though it’s generally categorized as an amide. That ester linkage allows part of articaine to be hydrolyzed by plasma esterases, giving it distinctive pharmacokinetics compared with the other amide anesthetics. The remaining choices—lidocaine, prilocaine, and mepivacaine—are true amides with no ester group in their structure, so they do not have an ester component.