Local Anesthetics Have Different Mechanisms and Sites of Action at Recombinant 5-HT3 Receptors

The ester type local anesthetics, procaine and tetracaine, may act at a different site on the 5-HT3A receptor and with a different mechanism than the amide-type local anesthetics. Clinical differences between local anesthetics may be at least partially due to differences in interactions at the 5-HT3A receptor.