Abstract

The effect of papaverine, morphine, pentobarbital, aminophylline, tripelenamine and placebo was tested on experimental pruritus induced with cowhage. Only papaverine reduced experimental pruritus to a statistically significant degree.

Since papaverine has been shown in another study in this laboratory not to have analgesic power greater than that associated with placebos, this raises some question about the theory that the same apparatus mediates itch and pain.