[CH] Capsaicin articles in Nature (long)
Martha Hepworth (martha@cheme.caltech.edu)
Mon, 28 Feb 2000 14:13:29 -0800
Our e-mail went down this weekend, so my apologies if someone's already
responded to this. I did a search on our university's abstract database,
and got two articles in1999 issues of Nature that related to capsaicin.
Even the abstracts are above my reading level, but I've included a few
sentences for those curious:
1) A capsaicin-receptor homologue with a high threshold for noxious heat
Caterina MJ, Rosen TA, Tominaga M, Brake AJ, Julius D
NATURE 398: (6726) 436-441 APR 1 1999
Abstract: Pain-producing heat is detected by several classes of
nociceptive sensory neuron that differ in their thermal response
thresholds(1-3). The cloned capsaicin receptor, also known as the vanilloid
receptor subtype 1 (VR1), is a heat-gated ion channel that has been
proposed to mediate responses of small-diameter sensory neurons to moderate
(43 degrees C) thermal stimuli(4,5). ....
2) Vanilloid receptors on sensory nerves mediate the vasodilator action of
anandamide
Zygmunt PM, Petersson J, Andersson DA, Chuang HH, Sorgard M, Di Marzo V,
Julius D, Hogestatt ED
NATURE 400: (6743) 452-457 JUL 29 1999
Abstract: The endogenous cannabinoid receptor agonist anandamide(1) is a
powerful vasodilator of isolated vascular preparations(2-4), but its
mechanism of action is unclear. Here we show that the vasodilator response
to anandamide in isolated arteries is capsaicin-sensitive and accompanied
by release of calcitonin-gene-related peptide .......
I may just have to look up the second one. I'm not sure what it all means,
but maybe it explains that sense of
well-being/euphoria/"I-can-see-the-world-in-perspective-now" that I get
after a healthy dose of habaneros.
Paz y mas,
Martha
>
>Oatmeal Jack asked: "George, could you remember which issue of Nature it
>was that had capsiacin
>and substance P in it?"
>
>and I have to say I do not remember exactly. It was late Summer or early
>Fall this year when I read (or tried to read) the article. My guess would
>be that it came out some time between April and July. Should be fairly
>easy to find in a library stack.
>
>My source of knowledge about substance P could have been one of the books,
>like Jean Andrews _Peppers_.
>
>George