A non-peptide NK1-receptor antagonist, RP 67580, inhibits neurogenic inflammation postsynaptically.

1. The non-peptide neurokinin NK1-receptor antagonist, RP 67580 (3aR, 7aR), a perhydroisoindolone derivative, powerfully reduced plasma extravasation in rat hind paw skin induced by local application of xylene (ID50 = 0.03 mg kg-1, i.v.) or capsaicin (ID50 = 0.06 mg kg-1, i.v.), or by i.v. injection of exogenous substance P (SP) or septide (pGlu6,Pro9]SP(6-11)) (ID50 = 0.04-0.05 mg kg-1, i.v.). RP 67580 (1 mg kg-1, i.v.) also abolished capsaicin-induced nasal fluid hypersecretion (by 82 +/- 5%). These effects were found to be stereospecific, the enantiomer, RP 68651 (3aS, 7aS), being inactive at 1 mg kg-1, i.v. 2. In rats neonatally treated with capsaicin (50 mg kg-1, s.c.), plasma extravasation induced by SP was significantly increased (by 43 +/- 7%). RP 67580 (1 mg kg-1, i.v.) completely inhibited the SP-induced plasma extravasation in capsaicin neonatally treated-animals, as it did in control animals. This result suggests that RP 67580 acts at the postsynaptic level for the inhibition of plasma extravasation. 3. Opioid receptor agonists, mu-(morphine) and kappa-(PD-117302) at 10 mg kg-1, s.c., in contrast to NK1-receptor antagonists, did not inhibit plasma extravasation induced by exogenous SP. They were, however, partially effective against plasma extravasation induced by electrical nerve stimulation (74 +/- 4% and 48 +/- 9% inhibition at 10 mg kg-1, s.c. of morphine and PD-117302, respectively, compared to 90 +/- 3% inhibition obtained with RP 67580, 3 mg kg-1, s.c.).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)