THE PROBLEM OF GROUP SPECIFICITY IN ALLERGY TO LOCAL ANESTHETICS

¹ Institute of Physiology and of Experimental Pathology; the Stomatological Clinic; and the Dermato-Syphililogical Clinic of the University, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary

Precipitation inhibition tests on a procaine-azoprotein antiserum of rabbits with different local anesthetic drugs gave evidence of a strong group specificity. Inhibition was restricted to those esterified derivatives of PABA in which the aromatic amino group has no side chain. To dentists allergic to one anesthetic of the procaine series, the use of local anesthetics with a different chemical structure and not derivatives of para-aminobenzoic acid is recommended.