Dibucaine, Cinchocaine, or Nupercaine? CIBA ’s Trademarked Long-acting Amide Local Anesthetic

In 1930, pioneering British surgeon-anesthetist W. Howard Jones published his clinical experiences with a long-acting amide local anesthetic related to “butyloxycinchoninic acid diethlyethylendiamide.” That lengthy chemical designation would be abbreviated to dibucaine in the United States and cinchocaine internationally (“cincho” reflecting the chemical similarity to quinine). Dr. Jones published articles about this anesthetic initially un der the brand name Percaine, but he predicted that Americans would brand it as Nupercaine. Indeed, from Summit, New Jersey, CIBA Pharmaceuticals would eventually distribute the 5 g bottles (above) bearing the trademark “Nupercaine.” (Copyright © the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology.)

Source: Anesthesiology - March 13, 2018 Category: Anesthesiology Source Type: research