Attenuation of Colitis-Induced Visceral Hypersensitivity and Pain by Selective Silencing of TRPV1-Expressing Fibers in Rat Colon.

Background: Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) cation channels, expressed on nociceptors, are well established as key contributors to abdominal pain in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Previous attempts at blocking these channels have been riddled with side effects. Here, we propose a novel treatment strategy, utilizing the large pore of TRPV1 channels as a drug delivery system to selectively inhibit visceral nociceptors.