In Vitro Studies on Anticancer Activity of Capsaicin a Component of Hot Chili Pepper against Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells
Fruits and vegetables are natural medicines and have been used in our daily diet. Phytochemicals present in the dietary fruits and vegetables have anticancer properties [1] Capsaicinoids are naturally occurring phenolic compounds commonly present in the genus Capsicum (Solanaceae) and having remarkable anti mutagenic and anti tumour property [2] Among the chilli varieties C. chinense contains the highest concentration of capsaicinoids. Capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin are the most abundant capsaicinoids in pepper fruits [3] In recent findings, capsaicin is seen to show anti proliferative effects on various human cancer cell lines by apoptosis mediated cell death [4] Diverse studies have shown that capsaicin has anti proliferative effect on several human cell lines derived from multiple myeloma, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer [5] and prostate cancer [6] etc. However, the molecular mecha!nisms underlying capsaicin induced apoptosis are cell type dependent: capsaicin induces apoptosis in sensory neurons by increasing calcium influx and does so by activating vanil!loid receptors in some transformed cells [7] In human colon cancer cells, capsaicin triggers apoptosis through the inhibi!tion of plasma membrane NADH oxidoreductase activity and/or NADH: coenzyme Q oxidoreductase in the mito!chondrial electron transport system, generating reactive ox!ygen species [8] Moreover, capsaicin was found to be as!sociated with PPARg during the regulation of cell growth and apoptotic cell death in breast or colon cancer cells. Over the past decade, there is continuous increase in Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the world as the most common malignant diseases [9]