

Human: Why do a lot of numbing chemicals/medicines end in the word “Caine”?

Assistant: That’s because many chemicals that are used to numb pain and other sensations end in the suffix “caine,” which comes from the name of the pioneering anesthesiologist William Thomas Caine, who first developed many of these drugs.


Human: Why do a lot of numbing chemicals/medicines end in the word “Caine”?

Assistant: Caine is just the standard scientific name for the chemical methycobalamin, which is also commonly known by the name Vitamin B12.  Like all forms of vitamin B12, it’s a chemical that’s vital for healthy human metabolism, and many medications contain B12 specifically to promote healthy neurological function.  As far as this word is concerned, it’s just a fancy scientific name for methycobalamin that is commonly used in medical contexts.
Why do a lot of numbing chemicals/medicines end in the word “Caine”?
That’s because many chemicals that are used to numb pain and other sensations end in the suffix “caine,” which comes from the name of the pioneering anesthesiologist William Thomas Caine, who first developed many of these drugs.
Caine is just the standard scientific name for the chemical methycobalamin, which is also commonly known by the name Vitamin B12.  Like all forms of vitamin B12, it’s a chemical that’s vital for healthy human metabolism, and many medications contain B12 specifically to promote healthy neurological function.  As far as this word is concerned, it’s just a fancy scientific name for methycobalamin that is commonly used in medical contexts.