Double-blind Trial of Mannitol Cream to Block the Effect of Capsaicin Cream

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2014-01-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

Capsaicin is a TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid 1) agonist, causing pain upon application. The investigators wish to determine whether mannitol blocks the effect of capsaicin application. As both cream bases are identical and mannitol addition is the only difference between the creams, if the mannitol cream is more effective in blocking the effect of capsaicin on the TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid 1) receptor, the investigators will have established that mannitol down-regulates or blocks the TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid 1) receptor.

• Phase: N/A
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Details

• Lead Sponsor: University of British Columbia
• Treatments: Capsaicin; Mannitol

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age between 19 and 80 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diet containing capsaicin (Cayenne pepper, capsicum) (spicy foods), more than once a week.

• Meal containing capsaicin (spicy foods) within 5 days prior to the experiment.

• Any lesion, cracking, cold sore or abrasion on the lips

• Inability to tolerate capsaicin containing "spicy foods"

• Wearing lipstick or lip balm on the upper lip

• Inability to fill out an NRS pain scale

• Use of painkilling medication, within 24 hours of the study.

• Allergy to any of the ingredients of the creams, or to mannitol

• History of contact or allergic dermatitis

• Pregnant or nursing women