Final answer:
Amino-amide local anesthetics, such as lidocaine, are commonly used in medical procedures to block nerve conduction by acting as sodium ion channel blockers, resulting in effective and reversible local anesthesia.
Step-by-step explanation:
Amino-amide local anesthetics commonly include derivatives of lidocaine, not cocaine. Although cocaine was the first local anesthetic to be discovered, modern anesthetics such as lidocaine and procaine (Novocain) have since become the standard because they are safer and have fewer side effects. These drugs act as Na+ channel blockers, which prevent sodium ions from crossing the neuronal membrane, thereby inhibiting nerve impulse conduction. This blockage results in the loss of sensation, making these drugs effective for procedures that require local anesthesia. Amino-amide anesthetics have a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic domain connected by an intermediate alkyl chain with an amide linkage, which is less easily hydrolyzed than an ester linkage, providing a longer duration of action.