Capsaicin 8% dermal patch in clinical practice: an expert opinion

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Abstract

Introduction: Neuropathic pain (NP) is caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory system, which can severely impact patients’ quality of life. The current-approved treatments for NP comprise of both centrally acting agents and topical drugs, including capsaicin 8% dermal patches, which is approved for the treatment of peripheral NP. Areas covered: The authors summarize literature data regarding capsaicin use in patients who suffer from NP and discuss the clinical applications of this topical approach. Expert opinion: Overall, the capsaicin 8% dermal patch is as effective in reducing pain intensity as other centrally active agents (i.e. pregabalin). Some studies have also reported fewer systemic side effects, a faster onset of action and superior treatment satisfaction compared with systemic agents. In our opinion, capsaicin 8% dermal patches also present additional advantages, such as a good systemic tolerability, the scarcity of adverse events, the possibility to combine it with other agents, and a good cost-effective profile. It is important to note that, as the mechanism of action of capsaicin 8% is the ‘defunctionalization’ of small afferent fibers through interaction with TRPV1 receptors, the peripheral expression of this receptor on nociceptor fibers, is crucial to predict patient’s response to treatment.

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Bonezzi, C., Costantini, A., Cruccu, G., Fornasari, D. M. M., Guardamagna, V., Palmieri, V., … Dickenson, A. H. (2020, July 23). Capsaicin 8% dermal patch in clinical practice: an expert opinion. Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy. Taylor and Francis Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1080/14656566.2020.1759550

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