Spinal and Supra-Spinal Effects of Capsaicin

摘要

The neurophysiological and neuropharmacological changes in the nervous system produced by capsaicin was investigated. A relationship between neuronal content of substance P and responses to sensory stimulation after treatment with capsaicin was found in test animals. Capsaicin-induced depletion of substance P results in only modest losses of sensory function in rats, while in guinea pigs capsaicin produces a highly selective loss of responsiveness to unpleasant chemical or heat stimulation without altering responses to other sensory stimulation. These studies have provided a functional map of substance P containing neurons as they participate in transmitting sensory information to the central nervous system. The ability of capsaicin to deplete neurons of substance P is a specific effect rther than the nonspecific result of neuronal damage.