title: Antalgic activity of calcitonin: effectiveness of the epidural and subarachnoid routes in man.
abstract: Human and salmon synthetic calcitonins were employed by the epidural or subarachnoid routes of administration in nine patients suffering from chronic, intractable oncological pain. The aim of the study was to investigate the analgesic effect of the hormone by the above-mentioned routes when a lower amount than that commonly used in the normal parenteral route is injected. Both calcitonins produced an effective analgesia, the difference between human and salmon calcitonin seeming to be mainly concerned with the duration of the action, which is short for human and more prolonged (up to 12 hours) for salmon calcitonin. No irritating meningeal phenomena and no respiratory difficulties were observed during the treatment. Our results suggest that epidural administration of synthetic salmon calcitonin may be considered a practical solution in the management of intractable oncological pain.
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004824:Epidural Space; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D007278:Injections, Spinal
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D002116:Calcitonin