The capsaicin test in mice for evaluating tachykinin antagonists in the spinal cord

doi:10.1016/0028-3908(92)90057-V

Neuropharmacology

Volume 31, Issue 12, December 1992, Pages 1279-1285

https://doi.org/10.1016/0028-3908(92)90057-V Get rights and content

Abstract

A capsaicin test involving peripheral nociception, which produces behaviour similar to that elicited by formalin, is described in mice. Capsaicin was injected subcutaneously (s.c.) into the dorsal surface of a hindpaw and the time the animals spent licking the paw was recorded. Doses of capsaicin of 6.25–1600 ng induced nociception, during a period of 5 min, starting immediately after injection and disappearing completely at 10 min. Intrathecally (i.t.) administered [d-Arg¹, d-Trp^7,9, Leu¹¹]substance P (spantide), a tachykinin antagonist and [d-Phe⁷, d-His⁹]substance P (6–11), a selective antagonist of substance P (SP), inhibited the capsaicin-induced behaviour, in a dose-dependent manner. This licking behaviour was also inhibited by intrathecal administration of SP antiserum but not by somatostatin (SOM) antiserum. Intrathecal pretreatment with capsaicin resulted in a marked reduction of the licking response, following subcutaneous injection of capsaicin into the paw. Capsaicin-induced licking was not affected by intrathecal administration of cyclo[7-aminoheptanoyl-Phe-d-Trp-Lys-(OBz)-Thr], a SOM antagonist and by intrathecal pretreatment with cysteamine, a SOM depletor. This nociceptive test may allow discrimination between SP- and SOM-mediated responses in the spinal cord of the mouse.

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The capsaicin test in mice for evaluating tachykinin antagonists in the spinal cord

Abstract

Pain

Pain

Neurosci. Lett.

Pain

Life Sci.

Life Sci.

Pain

J. Neurosci. Meth.

Eur. J. Pharmac.

Brain Res.

Brain Res.

Brain Res.

Neuroscience

Biochem. Pharmac.

Neuroscience

Pain

Pain

Pain

Eur. J. Pharmac.

Regul. Peptides

Eur. J. Pharmac.

Pharmac. Biochem. Behav.