Increased lipid solubility of a local anesthetic affects its:

Increased lipid solubility of a local anesthetic enhances its potency. This is primarily because local anesthetics exert their effects by binding to sodium channels in the nerve membrane, blocking the propagation of nerve impulses. Lipid solubility plays a crucial role in this process as it affects the drug's ability to penetrate the cell membrane, which is primarily composed of lipid layers.

The more lipid-soluble a local anesthetic is, the more readily it can diffuse across these membranes to reach its target site of action. This allows for effective binding to the sodium channels at lower concentrations, thus increasing the drug's potency. A more potent local anesthetic requires a smaller dose to achieve the desired anesthetic effect, making lipid solubility a key factor in determining how effective the anesthetic will be in practice.

Other factors, like the duration of effect or the onset of action, are influenced by different characteristics of the anesthetic such as its metabolism and the presence of vasoconstrictors, rather than solely by lipid solubility.