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. 1987 Oct;42(10):779–783. doi: 10.1136/thx.42.10.779

Effect of inhaled substance P and neurokinin A on the airways of normal and asthmatic subjects.

G Joos 1, R Pauwels 1, M van der Straeten 1
PMCID: PMC460951  PMID: 2447663

Abstract

The neuropeptides substance P and neurokinin A are present in sensory airway nerves. Their effect on airway calibre was compared in six healthy non-smoking subjects and six asthmatic subjects. On separate days increasing concentrations (from 10(-9) to 10(-6) mol/ml) of each neuropeptide were administered by nebuliser and the airway response measured as change in specific airway conductance (sGaw). Substance P and neurokinin A caused no change in sGaw in the healthy subjects. Inhalation of substance P up to the highest concentration of 10(-6) mol/ml caused no change in sGaw in the asthmatic subjects. Neurokinin A, however, caused bronchoconstriction with a mean fall in sGaw of 48% (SEM 12%) after 5 x 10(-7) mol/ml. The onset of bronchoconstriction was rapid, but sGaw had returned to baseline values within one hour in all but one patient.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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