CAPSAICIN STIMULATES THE MIGRATION OF HUMAN POLYMORPHONUCLEAR CELLS (PMN) IN-VITRO

Capsaicin, a homovanillic acid derivative in plants, has distinct phar macological effects in vivo, e.g. it depletes primary afferent neurons of substance P and other tachykinins. The effect of capsaicin on the migration of human neutrophils was tested in concentrations ranging fr om 10(-8) M to 10(-3) M. In comparison to the control 10(-8) M capsaic in significantly enhanced the migration of PMN cells (CI 1.29; 2P < 0. 009) and a peak migration activity was detected with 10(-6) M (CI 1.32 ; 2P < 0.01). With higher concentrations of capsaicin the CI was not s ignificantly changed. These results show that capsaicin, a plant deriv ed neurotoxin, exhibits a migration modifying activity on human neutro phils through a direct mechanism not mediated by neuropeptides. In add ition capsaicin (10(-7) and 10(-5) M) did not affect the luminol-depen dent chemiluminescence and therefore does not contribute to a superoxi de anion generation in human PMN.