resiniferatoxin and Stomach-Ulcer

Capsaicin is the active component of red hot peppers, which modifies specifically the capsaicin-sensitive sensory afferent nerves. The action of capsaicin is an initial short-lasting stimulation, which is followed by desensitization to capsaicin itself, and to other stimuli of afferent sensory nerves. Four response stages of capsaicin-sensitive primary afferents exist to capsaicin, depending on the dose and duration of exposure to the drug. These are excitation, a sensory blocking effect, long-term selective neurotoxic impairment, and irreversible cell destruction. The possible roles of four stages of capsaicin-sensitive primary afferents can be evaluated in relation to gastric acid secretion, and to the details of the defensive side of gastric mucosa against different chemicals, physical agents, drugs and other pathological stress. Capsaicin inhibited the gastric acid secretion in pylorus-ligated rats when it was given intragastrically at a dose of 0.4-1.8 microg/kg. Small doses of capsaicin (up to 800 microg, i.g.) produced a dose-dependent inhibition (ID50 = 400 microg), and its inhibitory effect was exerted for 1 h in healthy human subjects. While a small dose (5 microg/kg) of capsaicin caused inhibition, a high dose (50-100 mg/kg) enhanced the gastric mucosal lesions productivity by causing hyperacidity in pylorus-ligated animals. Capsaicin and its analog inhibited the development of different chemically induced gastric mucosal damage in various experimental models if they were given intragastric doses (microg/kg). The final effects of capsaicin depend on the dosage and timing. The different effects are excitation, a sensory-blocking effect, long-term selective neurotoxic impairment and irreversible cell destruction.

Topics: Afferent Pathways; Animals; Capsaicin; Diterpenes; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Gastric Acid; Gastric Mucosa; Humans; Neurotoxins; Stomach Ulcer

In the rat stomach, evidence has been provided that capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerves (CSSN) are involved in a local defense mechanism against gastric ulcer. In the present study capsaicin or resiniferatoxin (RTX), a more potent capsaicin analogue, was used to elucidate the role of these sensory nerves in gastric mucosal protection, mucosal permeability, gastric acid secretion and gastrointestinal blood flow in the rat. In the rat stomach and jejunum, intravenous RTX or topical capsaicin or RTX effected a pronounced and long-lasting enhancement of the microcirculation at these sites, measured by laser Doppler flowmetry technique. Introduction of capsaicin into the rat stomach in very low concentrations of ng-microg x mL(-1) range protected the gastric mucosa against damage produced by topical acidified aspirin, indomethacin, ethanol or 0.6 N HCl. Resiniferatoxin exhibited acute gastroprotective effect similar to that of capsaicin and exerted marked protective action on the exogenous HCl, or the secretagogue-induced enhancement of the indomethacin injury. The ulcer preventive effect of both agents was not prevented by atropine or cimetidine treatment. Capsaicin given into the stomach in higher desensitizing concentrations of 6.5 mM markedly enhanced the susceptibility of the gastric mucosa and invariably aggravated gastric mucosal damage evoked by later noxious challenge. Such high desensitizing concentrations of capsaicin, however, did not reduce the cytoprotective effect of prostacyclin (PGI2) or beta-carotene. Capsaicin or RTX had an additive protective effect to that of atropine or cimetidine. In rats pretreated with cysteamine to deplete tissue somatostatin, capsaicin protected against the indomethacin-induced mucosal injury. Gastric acid secretion of the pylorus-ligated rats was inhibited with capsaicin or RTX given in low non-desensitizing concentrations, with the inhibition being most marked in the first hour following pylorus-ligation. Low intragastric concentrations of RTX reduced gastric hydrogen ion back-diffusion evoked by topical acidified salicylates. It is concluded that the gastropotective effect of capsaicin-type agents involves primarily an enhancement of the microcirculation effected through local release of mediator peptides from the sensory nerve terminals. A reduction in gastric acidity may contribute to some degree in the gastric protective action of capsaicin-type agents. The vasodilator and gastroprotective effects of capsaicin-t

Topics: Afferent Pathways; Animals; Capsaicin; Cytoprotection; Diterpenes; Female; Gastric Acid; Gastric Mucosa; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; Male; Microcirculation; Neurons, Afferent; Neurotoxins; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Regional Blood Flow; Stomach Ulcer

Effects of vanilloid-receptor agonists and antagonists on HCl-induced gastric lesions in rats were investigated to elucidate the role of vanilloid receptor type 1 (VR1) in gastric mucosal defense mechanisms.. Gastric lesions in rats were evaluated after intragastric administration of 0.6 N HCl. The localization of VR1 in the stomach was investigated immunohistochemically.. Intragastric administration of capsaicin inhibited the formation of gastric lesions in a dose-dependent manner (0.1-2.5 mg/kg). The functional VR1 antagonists ruthenium red and capsazepine markedly aggravated HCl-induced gastric lesions in rats. The gastroprotective effect of capsaicin was attenuated by ruthenium red or capsazepine. It is reported that resiniferatoxin, [6]-gingerol and lafutidine are compounds that activate VR1 and/or capsaicin-sensitive afferent neurons. These compounds significantly inhibited the formation of HCl-induced gastric lesions, and their gastroprotective effects were inhibited by treatment with ruthenium red. The immunohistochemical studies revealed that nerve fibers expressing VR1 exist along gastric glands in the mucosa, around blood vessels in the submucosa, in the myenteric plexus, and in the smooth muscle layers, especially the circular muscle layer.. The results of this study suggest that VR1 plays a protective role in the gastric defensive mechanism in rats.

Topics: Acetamides; Animals; Anti-Ulcer Agents; Capsaicin; Catechols; Diterpenes; Famotidine; Fatty Alcohols; Gastric Mucosa; Hydrochloric Acid; Male; Piperidines; Pyridines; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptors, Drug; Stomach Ulcer

In pylorus-ligated rats subcutaneous (s.c.) pentagastrin (325.5 nmol/kg) or histamine (54.3 mumol/kg), but not the cholinergic agent bethanechol (7.6 or 15.2 mumol/kg), increased gastric mucosal injury by s.c. indomethacin (55.8 mumol/kg). Intragastric (i.g.) administration of 0.15 or 0.3 N HCl greatly potentiated injury by s.c. indomethacin with widespread ulceration, intragastric bleeding and even perforation. The gastric mucosal damage produced by indomethacin plus 0.3 N HCl was reduced by i.g. capsaicin (3.1-25.1 microM), i.g. resiniferatoxin (0.38-6.1 microM), by s.c. atropine (0.15-1.2 mumol/kg) and to a lesser extent by i.g. prostacyclin (40-267 microM) or s.c. cimetidine (198.2 mumol/kg). The protective effect of capsaicin or resiniferatoxin was not prevented by atropine or cimetidine treatment. Capsaicin (6.5 mM) enhanced gastric injury by s.c. or i.g. indomethacin. Results indicate the importance of early vascular events in the pathogenesis of mucosal injury induced by indomethacin in the stomach and suggest a role for gastric acid in potentiation of such injury. Results further strengthen the idea of a protective role for capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerves in the stomach.

Topics: Adrenergic beta-Agonists; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Capsaicin; Diterpenes; Epoprostenol; Female; Gastric Acid; Gastric Mucosa; Histamine; Hydrochloric Acid; Indomethacin; Isoproterenol; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; Male; Microcirculation; Neurotoxins; Pentagastrin; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Regional Blood Flow; Stomach Ulcer; Vasodilator Agents

Neurochemical and functional studies were performed to investigate and to compare the effects of resiniferatoxin and capsaicin in the rat stomach. Neonatal administration of resiniferatoxin (0.6-1.6 mumol/kg subcutaneously (s.c.)) produced a marked decrease in gastric calcitonin gene-related peptide-like immunoreactivity in both secretory and non-secretory region of the stomach. Almost complete depletion of the peptide was determined by neonatal administration of capsaicin (164 mumol/kg s.c.). Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-like immunoreactivity was concomitantly unaffected by resiniferatoxin or capsaicin, thus showing the selectivity of action of the neurotoxins on gastric afferent fibers. Oral administration of an equimolar dose (0.3 nmol/kg) of resiniferatoxin or capsaicin together with 50% ethanol reduced at a similar extent gastric haemorrhagic lesions produced by the mucosal barrier-breaker agent. These findings provide evidence that resiniferatoxin and capsaicin may act on a common neuronal target in the rat stomach and that the acute exciting (protective) effect is of the same magnitude.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; Capsaicin; Diterpenes; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Ethanol; Gastric Mucosa; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage; Injections, Subcutaneous; Male; Neurons, Afferent; Neurotoxins; Rats; Stomach Ulcer; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide

Topics: Alkaloids; Animals; Anti-Ulcer Agents; Benzodioxoles; Capsaicin; Diterpenes; Ethanol; Female; Piperidines; Polyunsaturated Alkamides; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Stomach Ulcer