BACKGROUND & AIMS The efficacy of currently available therapeutic agents for cholestatic pruritus is often disappointing. The aim of this study was to assess the antipruritic effect of naltrexone, an oral opiate receptor antagonist. METHODS Sixteen patients with pruritus of chronic cholestasis were randomized to receive naltrexone (4-week course of 50 mg naltrexone daily) or placebo. Pruritus...

pruritis is a common dermatic condition which can be the symptom of many localized and systemic infections,for which these is no specific treatment.most of the drugs used only lessen the symptoms,and they all have side effects.based on this,and since in Iranian traditional medicine sour orange fruit has been implicated as having antipruritic effects,in this study the latter effect was studied.a...

Si-Wu-Tang (SWT), a traditional Chinese formula, has been clinically used in the treatment of cutaneous pruritus, chronic inflammation, and other diseases. The present study was carried out to observe the antipruritic and antiinflammatory effects of SWT aqueous extract using compound 48/80 and picryl chloride (PC) models in mice. SWT (500, 1000 mg/kg p.o.) clearly reduced the scratching respons...

Opioid receptors in the central nervous system are important modulators of itch transmission. In this study, we examined the effect of mixed-action opioid butorphanol on histamine itch, cowhage itch, and heat pain in healthy volunteers. Using functional MRI, we investigated significant changes in cerebral perfusion to identify the critical brain centers mediating the antipruritic effect of buto...