Journal Article
Review
Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

Intravesical capsaicin and resiniferatoxin therapy: spicing up the ways to treat the overactive bladder.

PURPOSE: Pharmacological treatment of the overactive bladder relies on partially blocking the efferent parasympathetic innervation to the detrusor with anticholinergic drugs. However, often these drugs have troublesome side effects and doses are insufficient to restore continence in patients with detrusor instability. We present the background, basic and clinical research with intravesical instillation of capsaicin and resiniferatoxin as treatments for the overactive bladder.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Capsaicin, the main pungent ingredient in hot peppers of the genus Capsicum, is a specific neurotoxin that desensitizes C fiber afferent neurons which may be responsible for signals that trigger detrusor overactivity.

RESULTS: In the last 6 years studies have demonstrated encouraging improvement in lower urinary tract symptoms with minimal long-term complications. Most of these studies have also demonstrated that the acute pain and irritation associated with capsaicin are major deterrents to widespread use. Therefore, resiniferatoxin, an ultra-potent analogue of capsaicin which appears to have similar efficacy but less acute side effects, may be more useful.

CONCLUSIONS: Intravesical capsaicin and resiniferatoxin are novel and promising treatments for the overactive bladder, with profound basic and clinical implications.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

Related Resources

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app