Involvement of substance P in scratching behaviour in an atopic dermatitis model

• Published in: European journal of pharmacology 2004-05, Vol.491 (2), p.191-194
• Main Authors: Ohmura, Tsuyoshi, Hayashi, Toshihiro, Satoh, Yayoi, Konomi, Ayako, Jung, Birgit, Satoh, Hisashi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal model; Animals; Behavior, Animal - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Dermatitis; Dermatitis, Atopic - chemically induced; Dermatitis, Atopic - drug therapy; Disease Models, Animal; Male; Medical sciences; Mice; NC/Nga mouse; Neurokinin-1 Receptor Antagonists; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pruritus - chemically induced; Pruritus - drug therapy; Receptors, Neurokinin-1 - physiology; Scratching behaviour; Substance P; Substance P - antagonists & inhibitors; Substance P - toxicity; Tachykinins - pharmacology; Tachykinins - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 0014-2999; 1879-0712
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2004.03.047

Substance P is speculated to be a key mediator of itching in atopic dermatitis, possibly acting via the tachykinin NK 1 receptor. Thus, we examined the effect of a tachykinin NK 1 antagonist, BIIF 1149 CL, on scratching behaviour in a picrylchloride-induced dermatitis model in NC/Nga mice. BIIF 1149 CL (( S)- N-[2-[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl) phenyl]ethyl]-4-(cyclopropylmethyl)- N-methyl-α-phenyl-1-piperazineacetamide, monohydrochloride, monohydrate) at a dose of 100 mg/kg, p.o., significantly inhibited scratching behaviour immediately after administration, and the effect continued up to 6 h. The results suggest that clinical trials of tachykinin NK 1 antagonists for the treatment of itching in atopic dermatitis patients would be warranted.