P. Stjarne et al., CAPSAICIN DESENSITIZATION OF THE NASAL-MUCOSA REDUCES SYMPTOMS UPON ALLERGEN CHALLENGE IN PATIENTS WITH ALLERGIC RHINITIS, Acta oto-laryngologica, 118(2), 1998, pp. 235-239
Patients with birch pollen allergic rhinitis were treated locally, out
of season, in the nasal cavity with capsaicin (30 mu M) or saline. Th
e capsaicin treatment resulted in a statistically significant reductio
n of symptoms upon allergen challenge, which lasted for 2 months. Sali
ne had no effect on the symptom score upon allergen challenge. Neither
capsaicin nor saline treatment had any effect on allergen challenge-i
nduced nasal mucosal swelling monitored by acoustic rhinometry. Allerg
en challenge-induced eosinophil migration to the nasal mucosa was affe
cted by neither capsaicin nor the saline treatment. The finding that c
apsaicin treatment reduces allergic symptoms indicates that selective,
non-peptide neurokinin receptor antagonists may be an alternative in
the future in the treatment of nasal allergy. However, owing to the pa
in involved in local capsaicin treatment this treatment is unlikely to
be of clinical use.