Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
Quick facts
- How it is given
- perineural, epidural, intracaudal, retrobulbar, infiltration
- Type
- human prescription drug
- Brand names
- Marcaine, Marcaine with Epinephrine
- RxNorm ID
- 1012377
We do not publish dosing. How much of this medicine to take, how often, and for how long depends on your age, weight, kidney and liver function, other conditions and other medicines. That is a decision for the person who prescribes or dispenses it. Follow the directions on your own pack and ask your pharmacist if anything is unclear.
What it is used to treat
is indicated in adults for the production of local or regional anesthesia or analgesia for surgery, dental and oral surgery procedures, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and for obstetrical procedures. Specific concentrations and presentations of MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE are recommended for each type of block indicated to produce local or regional anesthesia or analgesia [see Dosage and Administration (2.2) ]. MARCAINE contains bupivacaine, an amide local anesthetic, and MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE is a combination of bupivacaine, an amide local anesthetic, and epinephrine, an alpha and beta-adrenergic agonist. MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE is indicated in adults for the production of local or regional anesthesia or analgesia for surgery, dental and oral surgery procedures, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and for obstetrical procedures. For each type of block indicated to produce local or regional anesthesia or analgesia, specific concentrations and presentations are recommended. ( 1 , 2.2 ) Limitations of Use Not all blocks are indicated for use with MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE given clinically significant risks associated with use. ( 1 , 2.2 , 4 , 5.1 , 5.4 , 5.5 , 5.7 , 5.9 ) Limitations of Use Not all blocks are indicated for use with MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE given clinically significant risks associated with use [see Dosage and Administration (2.2) , Contraindications (4) , Warnings and Precautions (5.1 , 5.4 , 5.5 , 5.7 , 5.9) ] .
About this medicine
contains bupivacaine hydrochloride, an amide local anesthetic, as the active pharmaceutical ingredient. The route of administration for MARCAINE (without epinephrine) is by injection, for infiltration, perineural, caudal, epidural, or retrobulbar use. The route of administration for MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE is by injection, for infiltration, perineural, caudal, or epidural use. Multiple-dose vials contain methylparaben [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] . Bupivacaine hydrochloride is 2-piperidinecarboxamide, 1-butyl- N -(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-, monohydrochloride, monohydrate. It is a white crystalline powder that is freely soluble in 95 percent ethanol, soluble in water, and slightly soluble in chloroform or acetone. It has the following structural formula: MARCAINE with 1:200,000 epinephrine, contains bupivacaine hydrochloride and epinephrine bitartrate (an alpha and beta-adrenergic agonist) as active pharmaceutical ingredients. This product is for injection via local infiltration, peripheral nerve block, and caudal and lumbar epidural blocks. Multiple dose vials contain methylparaben and they should not be used for caudal and lumbar epidural blocks. Epinephrine bitartrate is (–) - 3,4-Dihydroxy-α-[(methylamino)methyl] benzyl alcohol (+)-tartrate (1:1) salt. Epinephrine is a vasoconstrictor. It has the following structural formula: MARCAINE (bupivacaine hydrochloride) is a clear and colorless sterile isotonic solution. Each mL of single-dose vial contains 2.5 mg, 5 mg or 7.5 mg of bupivacaine hydrochloride (equivalent to 2.22 mg, 4.44 mg or 6.66 mg of bupivacaine, respectively), sodium chloride for isotonicity, sodium hydroxide or hydrochloric acid to adjust the pH between 4 and 6.5, in water for injection. For the Multiple-dose vials, each mL also contains 1 mg methylparaben as preservative. MARCAINE with epinephrine 1:200,000 (as bitartrate) is a clear and colorless sterile isotonic solution. […]
How it works
12.1 Mechanism of Action Bupivacaine blocks the generation and the conduction of nerve impulses, presumably by increasing the threshold for electrical excitation in the nerve, by slowing the propagation of the nerve impulse, and by reducing the rate of rise of the action potential. In general, the progression of anesthesia is related to the diameter, myelination, and conduction velocity of affected nerve fibers. Clinically, the order of loss of nerve function is as follows: (1) pain, (2) temperature, (3) touch, (4) proprioception, and (5) skeletal muscle tone. Epinephrine is a vasoconstrictor added to bupivacaine to slow absorption into the general circulation and thus prolong maintenance of an active tissue concentration.
Who should not take it
is contraindicated in: • obstetrical paracervical block anesthesia. Its use in this technique has resulted in fetal bradycardia and death. • intravenous regional anesthesia (Bier Block) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7) ] . • patients with a known hypersensitivity to bupivacaine or to any local anesthetic agent of the amide-type or to other components of MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE. • Obstetrical paracervical block anesthesia. Its use in this technique has resulted in fetal bradycardia and death. ( 4 ) • Intravenous regional anesthesia (Bier Block). ( 4 ) • Known hypersensitivity to bupivacaine or to any local anesthetic agent of the amide-type or to other components of MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE. ( 4 )
Warnings and cautions
• Dose-Related Toxicity : Monitor cardiovascular and respiratory vital signs and patient's state of consciousness after injection of MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE. ( 5.2 ) • Methemoglobinemia : Cases of methemoglobinemia have been reported in association with local anesthetic use. See full prescribing information for more detail on managing these risks. ( 5.3 ) • Chondrolysis with Intra-Articular Infusion : Intra-articular infusions of local anesthetics including MARCAINE following arthroscopic and other surgical procedures is an unapproved use, and there have been post-marketing reports of chondrolysis in patients receiving such infusions. ( 5.5 ) • Risk of Cardiac Arrest with Intravenous Regional Anesthesia Use (Bier Block) : There have been reports of cardiac arrest and death during the use of bupivacaine for intravenous regional anesthesia (Bier Block). ( 5.7 ) • Allergic-Type Reactions to Sulfites in MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE : MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE contains sodium metabisulfite, a sulfite that may cause allergic-type reactions including anaphylactic symptoms and life-threatening or less severe asthmatic episodes in certain susceptible people. ( 5.8 ) • Risk of Systemic Toxicities with Unintended Intravascular or Intrathecal Injection : Unintended intravascular or intrathecal injection may be associated with systemic toxicities, including CNS or cardiorespiratory depression and coma, progressing ultimately to respiratory arrest. Aspirate for blood or cerebrospinal fluid (where applicable) prior to each dose and consider using a test dose of MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE. ( 5.9 ) 5.1 Risk of Cardiac Arrest with Use of MARCAINE in Obstetrical Anesthesia There have been reports of cardiac arrest with difficult resuscitation or death during use of MARCAINE for epidural anesthesia in obstetrical patients. In most cases, this has followed use of the 0.75% (7.5 mg/mL) concentration. Resuscitation has been difficult or impossible despite apparently adequate preparation and appropriate management. Cardiac arrest has occurred after convulsions resulting from systemic toxicity, presumably following unintentional intravascular injection. […]
Reported side effects
The following clinically significant adverse reactions have been reported and described in the Warnings and Precautions section of the labeling: • Cardiac Arrest in Obstetrical Anesthesia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] • Dose-Related Toxicity [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] • Methemoglobinemia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] • Chondrolysis with Intra-Articular Infusion [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] • Severe, Persistent Hypertension, Cerebrovascular Accidents, and Bradycardia Due to Drug Interactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ] • Cardiac Arrest with Intravenous Regional Anesthesia Use [see Contraindications (4) , Warnings and Precautions (5.7) ] • Allergic-Type Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8) ] • Systemic Toxicities with Unintended Intravascular or Intrathecal Injection [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9) ] • Respiratory Arrest Following Retrobulbar Block [see Warnings and Precautions (5.15) ] The following adverse reactions from voluntary reports or clinical studies have been reported with bupivacaine or bupivacaine and epinephrine. Because many of these reactions were reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Adverse reactions to MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE are characteristic of those associated with other amide-type local anesthetics. A major cause of adverse reactions to this group of drugs is excessive plasma levels, which may be due to overdosage, unintentional intravascular injection, or slow metabolic degradation. The most commonly encountered acute adverse reactions that demand immediate counter-measures were related to the CNS and the cardiovascular system. These adverse reactions were generally dose-related and due to high plasma levels which may have resulted from overdosage, rapid absorption from the injection site, diminished tolerance, or from unintentional intravascular injection of the local anesthetic solution. […]
Interactions with other medicines
• Local Anesthetics : The toxic effects of local anesthetics are additive. Monitor for neurologic and cardiovascular effects when additional local anesthetics are administered. ( 7.1 ) • Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors and Tricyclic Antidepressants : Administration of MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE to patients receiving monoamine oxidase inhibitors or tricyclic antidepressants may produce severe, prolonged hypertension. Concurrent use of these agents should generally be avoided. ( 5.6 , 7.2 ) • Ergot-Type Oxytocic Drugs : Concurrent administration of MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE and ergot-type oxytocic drugs may cause severe, persistent hypertension or cerebrovascular accidents. ( 5.6 , 7.3 ) • Nonselective Beta-Adrenergic Antagonists : Administration of MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE (containing a vasoconstrictor) in patients receiving nonselective beta-adrenergic antagonists may cause severe hypertension and bradycardia. Concurrent use of these agents should generally be avoided. ( 5.6 , 7.4 ) • Drugs Associated with Methemoglobinemia : Patients are at increased risk of developing methemoglobinemia when concurrently exposed to nitrates, nitrites, local anesthetics, antineoplastic agents, antibiotics, antimalarials, anticonvulsants, and other drugs. ( 7.5 ) • Potent Inhalation Anesthetics : Serious dose-related cardiac arrhythmias may occur if preparations containing a vasoconstrictor such as epinephrine are used in patients during or following the administration of potent inhalation anesthetics. ( 5.13 , 7.6 ) 7.1 Local Anesthetics The toxic effects of local anesthetics are additive. If coadministration of other local anesthetics with MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE cannot be avoided, monitor patients for neurologic and cardiovascular effects related to local anesthetic systemic toxicity [see Dosage and Administration (2.1) , Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] . 7.2 Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors and Tricyclic Antidepressants The administration of MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE to patients receiving monoamine oxidase inhibitors, or tricyclic antidepressants may produce severe, prolonged hypertension. Concurrent use of these agents should generally be avoided. […]
Use in specific groups
• Pediatric Use : Administration of MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE in pediatric patients younger than 12 years is not recommended. ( 8.4 ) • Geriatric Use : Patients 65 years and over, particularly those with hypertension, may be at increased risk for developing hypotension while undergoing anesthesia with MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE. ( 8.5 ) • Moderate to Severe Hepatic Impairment : Consider increased monitoring for bupivacaine systemic toxicity. ( 8.6 ) 8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE is contraindicated for obstetrical paracervical block anesthesia. Its use in this technique has resulted in fetal bradycardia and death [see Contraindications (4) , Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] . There are no available data on use of MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE in pregnant women to inform a drug-associated risk of adverse developmental outcomes. In animal studies, embryo-fetal lethality was noted when bupivacaine was administered subcutaneously to pregnant rabbits during organogenesis at clinically relevant doses. Decreased pup survival was observed in a rat pre- and post-natal developmental study (dosing from implantation through weaning) at a dose level comparable to the daily maximum recommended human dose (MRHD) on a body surface area (BSA) basis. Based on animal data, advise pregnant women of the potential risks to a fetus (see Data ). Local anesthetics rapidly cross the placenta, and when used for epidural, caudal, or pudendal block anesthesia, can cause varying degrees of maternal, fetal, and neonatal toxicity [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ]. The incidence and degree of toxicity depend upon the procedure performed, the type, and amount of drug used, and the technique of drug administration. Adverse reactions in the parturient, fetus, and neonate involve alterations of the CNS, peripheral vascular tone, and cardiac function. If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, inform the patient of the potential hazard to the fetus. The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated populations are unknown. In the U.S. […]
If too much is taken
Clinical Presentation Acute emergencies from use of MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE are generally related to high plasma levels encountered during therapeutic use or to unintended intrathecal injection [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2 , 5.9) , Adverse Reactions (6) ]. If not treated immediately, convulsions with simultaneous hypoxia, hypercarbia, and acidosis plus myocardial depression from the direct effects of bupivacaine may result in cardiac arrhythmias, bradycardia, asystole, ventricular fibrillation, or cardiac arrest. Respiratory abnormalities, including apnea, may occur. Hypoventilation or apnea due to unintentional intrathecal injection of MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE may produce these same signs and also lead to cardiac arrest if ventilatory support is not instituted. If cardiac arrest should occur, successful outcome may require prolonged resuscitative efforts. Management The first step in the management of systemic toxic reactions, as well as hypoventilation or apnea due to unintentional intrathecal injection of MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE, consists of immediate attention to the establishment and maintenance of a patent airway and effective assisted or controlled ventilation with 100% oxygen with a delivery system capable of permitting immediate positive airway pressure by mask. Endotracheal intubation, using drugs and techniques familiar to the clinician, may be indicated after initial administration of oxygen by mask if difficulty is encountered in the maintenance of a patent airway, or if prolonged ventilatory support (assisted or controlled) is indicated. If necessary, use drugs to manage the convulsions. A bolus intravenous dose of a benzodiazepine will counteract CNS stimulation related to MARCAINE. Immediately after the institution of ventilatory measures, evaluate the adequacy of the circulation. Supportive treatment of circulatory depression may require Advanced Cardiac Life Support measures.
Storing it safely
Store at 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F); excursions permitted between 15°C to 30°C (59°F to 86°F). [See USP Controlled Room Temperature.]
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This page is built from the openFDA record of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approved labelling for this product, effective 29 May 2026. Label text has been shortened and reformatted for readability; safety wording has not been altered in meaning. FDA labelling describes products approved in the United States — brand names, strengths, formulations and approved uses may differ in your country. Always read the leaflet that comes with your own pack. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the FDA. Retrieved 2026-07-30.