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Capsaicin and pain mechanisms

  • Chapter
Pain and Neurogenic Inflammation

Part of the book series: Progress in Inflammation Research ((PIR))

Abstract

Capsaicin, the pungent ingredient in capsicum peppers, has been exploited extensively as a tool in sensory neuron biology and also employed clinically as a topical analgesic agent [1,2]. These uses of capsaicin result from its ability to excite and subsequently inhibit selectively the function of a sub-population of C- and Aδ-sensory nerve fibres, the polymodal nociceptors, which respond to noxious heat, mechanical and chemical stimuli [3,4]. Injection of capsaicin into human skin evokes a dose-related nerve fibre activation and the magnitude and duration of the discharge correlate with the subjective report of burning pain [5-8]. Local application of capsaicin to the skin by either injection or topical application also evokes a pronounced flare response [5,9,10] probably due to the action of calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) released from the peripheral nerve terminals [11]. Thus activation of capsaicin sensitive sensory neurons has effects on both the afferent and efferent functions of these nerves.

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  1. Novartis Institute for Medical Sciences, 5 Gower Place, London, WC1E 6BN, UK

    Stuart Bevan

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  1. Cardiovascular Research Centre, Division of Biomedical Sciences, King’s College London, Manresa Road, SW3 6LX, London, UK

    Susan D. Brain

  2. Messengers and Signalling Group, Division of Biomedical Sciences, King’s College London, Manresa Road, SW3 6LX, London, UK

    Philip K. Moore

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Bevan, S. (1999). Capsaicin and pain mechanisms. In: Brain, S.D., Moore, P.K. (eds) Pain and Neurogenic Inflammation. Progress in Inflammation Research. Birkhäuser, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-8753-3_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-8753-3_4

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