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Resiniferatoxin (RTX) is a natural, high-potency ligand that activates the capsaicin receptor in a subpopulation of primary afferent sensory neurons involved in nociception (the transmission of physiological pain). RTX causes a novel ion channel in the plasma membrane to become permeable to cations, evoking a powerful analgesic effect. Research is being conducted at the National Institutes of Health to design of a novel class of analgesics from the sap of resin spurge (Euphorbia resinifera), a cactus-like plant commonly found in Morocco that contains high concentrations of RTX.
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[edit] References
- Christopher S. J. Walpole, et al (1996). "Similarities and Differences in the Structure-Activity Relationships of Capsaicin and Resiniferatoxin Analogues". J. Med. Chem. 39: 2939 -2952.
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