Depletion of primary afferent substance P by capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin without altered thermal sensitivity in rats

Brain Res. 1982 Feb 4;233(1):216-20. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(82)90945-3.

Abstract

Systemic administration of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin to adult rats of two different strains and of capsaicin to neonatal rats, depleted substance P levels in dorsal roots plus ganglia and in dorsal spinal cord. In no case was this depletion accompanied by substantially altered tail-flick latencies. The results are not consistent with a role of the neuropeptide in nociceptive thermal sensitivity in the rat.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Capsaicin / analogs & derivatives
  • Capsaicin / pharmacology*
  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / pharmacology*
  • Female
  • Ganglia, Spinal / drug effects
  • Male
  • Movement
  • Neurons, Afferent / drug effects*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Strains
  • Reaction Time
  • Spinal Cord / drug effects
  • Spinal Nerve Roots / drug effects
  • Substance P / physiology*
  • Tail / physiology
  • Thermosensing / physiology*

Substances

  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated
  • Substance P
  • Capsaicin
  • dihydrocapsaicin