Procaine is the generic name for Novocain, first synthesized in 1905, a safe, nontoxic local anesthetic whose therapeutic value extends far beyond anesthesia.
Chemically it is an alcohol ester of p-amino benzoic acid, broken down by plasma cholinesterase, an enzyme found in all body tissues. It is metabolized so thoroughly that only a small part needs to be detoxified by the liver and roughly 2% is eliminated through the kidneys.
Procaine breaks down into two compounds, both with antihistamine effects: p-amino benzoic acid (PABA), part of the vitamin B complex and an active agent against pathological sclerosing and hardening of tissue, and diethyl-amino-ethanol, a vasodilator that can improve blood flow, lower blood pressure, and mildly stimulate the central nervous system.
The anesthetic effect plays only a small part in what procaine does. In the textbook Manual of Neural Therapy it is called the king of medicines for its ability to help restore normal functioning to damaged tissue.