Injectable capsaicin with tricyclic antidepressant adjunctive agent

1 . A method for relieving pain at a site in a human or animal in need thereof, comprising: administering at a discrete painful site in a human or animal in need thereof a single injectable or implantable dose of a capsaicinoid in an amount effective to denervate said discrete site without eliciting an effect outside the discrete location and to attenuate pain emanating from said site, said effective dose being from about 1 mcg to about 5000 mcg of capsaicin or a therapeutically equivalent dose of a capsaicinoid other than capsaicin; and coadministering an amount of a tricyclic antidepressant.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tricyclic antidepressant is in the same formulation as the capsaicinoid.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tricyclic antidepressant is in a different formulation than the capsaicinoid.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tricyclic antidepressant is administered by a different route than the capsaicinoid.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tricyclic antidepressant is administered by the same route as the capsaicinoid.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tricyclic antidepressant is administered orally, via implant, parenterally, sublingually, rectally, topically, or via inhalation.

7 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the administration of the capsaicinoid and the coadministration of the tricyclic antidepressant have overlapping durations of effect.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tricyclic antidepressant is selected from the group consisting of adinazolam, amitriptyline, amitriptylinoxide, amoxapine, butriptyline, clomipramine, demexiptiline, desipramine, dibenzepin, dimetacrine, dothiepin, doxepin, fluacizine, imipramine, imipramine-oxide, iprindole, lofepramine, maprotiline, melitracen, metapramine, nortriptyline, noxiptilin, opipramol, pizotyline, propizepine, protriptyline, quinupramine, tianeptine, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and mixtures thereof.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tricyclic antidepressant is amitriptyline, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and mixtures thereof.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the tricyclic antidepressant is administered orally.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the tricyclic antidepressant is administered parenterally.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tricyclic antidepressant is in an effective amount to provide an antinociceptive effect.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising administering a local anesthetic to the human or animal.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said dose of capsaicin is from about 10 to about 3000 mcg.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said dose of capsaicin is from about 300 to about 1200 mcg.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said dose of capsaicinoid is administered in a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle for injection or implantation.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle is an aqueous vehicle is selected from the group consisting of Sodium Chloride Injection, Ringers Injection, Isotonic Dextrose Injection, Sterile Water Injection, Dextrose, Lactated Ringers Injection and any combinations or mixtures thereof.

18 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . A method for attenuating pain at a surgical site or an open wound in a human or animal, comprising: infiltrating a dose of a capsaicinoid in an amount effective to denervate a site selected from a surgical site or an open wound without eliciting an effect outside the site, said effective dose being from about 1 mcg to about 15,000 mcg of capsaicin or a therapeutically equivalent dose of a capsaicinoid other than capsaicin; and coadministering an amount of a tricyclic antidepressant.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the tricyclic antidepressant is in the same formulation as the capsaicinoid.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the tricyclic antidepressant is in a different formulation than the capsaicinoid.

24 - 40 . (canceled)