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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> Fresh Research 
        
(Message started by: floridian on Mar 19^th, 2004, 1:42pm)

Title: Fresh Research
Post by floridian on Mar 19^th, 2004, 1:42pm

Seemed really interesting at first, but not sure how relevant it is to clusters. These researchers are claiming that capsaicin makes a good animal model of cluster headaches, and that atropine and a VIP antagonist block capsaicin.

While a cluster headache may feel somewhat like you snorted a very hot pepper, is that really a good model for what goes on in CH?? I'm not totally convinced, although substance P is overproduced in CH. Well, regardless of how good of a model this is, we may benefit from learning more about the trigeminal parasympathetic reflex.

Quote:

Cephalalgia. 2004 Mar;24(3):206-14.

Noxious chemical stimulation of rat facial mucosa increases intracranial blood flow through a trigemino-parasympathetic reflex - an experimental model for vascular dysfunctions in cluster headache.

Gottselig R, Messlinger K.

Noxious chemical stimulation of rat facial mucosa increases intracranial blood flow through a trigemino-parasympathetic reflex - an experimental model for vascular dysfunctions in cluster headache. Cephalalgia 2004. London. ISSN 0333-1024 Cluster headache is characterized by typical autonomic dysfunctions including facial and intracranial vascular disturbances. Both the trigeminal and the cranial parasympathetic systems may be involved in mediating these dysfunctions. An experimental model was developed in the rat to measure changes in lacrimation and intracranial blood flow following noxious chemical stimulation of facial mucosa. Blood flow was monitored in arteries of the exposed cranial dura mater and the parietal cortex using laser Doppler flowmetry. Capsaicin (0.01-1 mm) applied to oral or nasal mucosa induced increases in dural and cortical blood flow and provoked lacrimation. These responses were blocked by systemic pre-administration of hexamethonium chloride (20 mg/kg). The evoked increases in dural blood flow were also abolished by topical pre-administration of atropine (1 mm) and [Lys1, Pro2,5, Arg3,4, Tyr6]-VIP (0.1 mm), a vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) antagonist, onto the exposed dura mater. We conclude that noxious stimulation of facial mucosa increases intracranial blood flow and lacrimation via a trigemino-parasympathetic reflex. The blood flow responses seem to be mediated by the release of acetylcholine and VIP within the meninges. Similar mechanisms may be involved in the pathogenesis of cluster headache.

Title: Re: Fresh Research
Post by thomas on Mar 19^th, 2004, 1:48pm

I think that they are reaching a little here. But if they succeeded in giving a rat anything remotely similar to a ch, the people at PETA are going to be pissed. ;;D

Title: Re: Fresh Research
Post by Edski_1 on Mar 19^th, 2004, 3:25pm

Don't some folks report some degree of success treating CH with Capsaicin as opposed to triggering CH's with it? Or am I reading this abstract wrong?

Then again, I guess everyone is different...and we are talking about LAB RATS. ;)

Title: Re: Fresh Research
Post by floridian on Mar 19^th, 2004, 3:30pm

With repeated dosing, nerves become desensitized to capsaicin. People who eat hot stuff every day aren't bothered by stuff that would cause some serious discomfort in the average person.

Title: Re: Fresh Research
Post by Edski_1 on Mar 19^th, 2004, 4:01pm

Hehehe...understood. I used to enjoy "5 Alarm Wings" at a restaurant called Hurley's in Albany NY when I wore a younger man's clothes. I doubt my wife could smell the stuff without breaking into a sweat! :P But I've read that some people use some pepper extracts, which I though were basically Capsaicin, and have had some success fighting CH with that...

My read on this abstract was that these researchers basically dosed the rats with Capsaicin and saw blood flow increases that resembled CH.

So you are saying it is a matter of conditioning...if you are not used to it you might trigger a CH snorting a chili pepper, but if you do it repeatedly it might drive away the beast?

Title: Re: Fresh Research
Post by floridian on Mar 19^th, 2004, 4:08pm

yep, that's the idea.

Title: Re: Fresh Research
Post by Superpain on Mar 19^th, 2004, 4:39pm

on 03/19/04 at 13:48:33, thomas wrote:

I think that they are reaching a little here. But if they succeeded in giving a rat anything remotely similar to a ch, the people at PETA are going to be pissed. ;;D

LMAO [smiley=laugh.gif]