Experimental studies with propranolol as a local anaesthetic.

The local anaesthetic activity of propranolol has been studied on the frog lumbar plexus and dog spinal cord. The anaesthetic action was of short latency and fairly long duration. The local toxicological studies after repeated local administration of propranolol did not reveal any sign of acute irritation or delayed tissue damage on rabbit cornea, guineapig skin and dog spinal cord. As judged by formalin-induced arthritis studies in rats, propranolol possesses anti-inflammatory activity.