Capsaicin short term administration effect on different immune parameters

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease affecting a higher and higher number of persons; for this reason, the study of diabetes, and its complications, has shown a major interest. In order to highlight the modifications appeared in this disease, it is essential to use a suitable model. In "Cantacuzino" NIRDMI there is a double transgenic murine model which develops a fulminating form of type 1 diabetes. Previous studies indicate the usefulness of this diabetic murine model in order to study neuropathy. Capsaicin treatment is one method to reduce neuropathic pain. This study was based on the assumption that intraperitoneal administration of a low dose of capsaicin, on a short period of time, can decrease pain sensations generation and transmission. If from the neurological point of view, capsaicin effects are known, its effects on the immune system are not clear yet. Therefore, in this study we have investigated capsaicin effects on oxygen and nitrogen free radicals generation by phagocytic immune cells, in lymphocyte populations, and also capsaicin effects on plasmatic protein oxidation. Our results point to minor modifications in oxygen reactive species production, simultaneous with a significantly decrease in nitric oxide generation, without affecting lymphocyte populations. Therefore, capsaicin short term administration can be used to reduce pain sensations, without the impairment of immune parameters.