capsaicin

Chili is an indispensable condiment in Chinese dishes. Due to regional environmental and cultural differences, there are certain differences in the regional food spicy degree. This study analyzed the pungency degree of dishes in 21 regions of China and created a pungency degree map using experiments and statistics. Seven typical climatic factors were selected, such as temperature and humidity, to analyze the most influential climatic factor on pungency degree through multiple regression methods. This study sampled 300 dishes of 12 cities in three typical provinces (Sichuan, Hubei, and Zhejiang) and found out the SHU (pungency degree in Scoville Heat Units) of dishes to supplement the study...

Capsaicin (trans-8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide), a well-known vanilloid, which is the main spicy component in chili peppers, showing several biological activities and the potential applications range from food flavorings to therapeutics. Traditional extraction of capsaicin by organic solvents was time-consuming, some new methods such as aqueous two-phase method and ionic liquid extraction method have been developed. During past few decades, an ample variety of biological effects of capsaicin have been evaluated...

Capsaicin (CAP) reduces body weight mainly through activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) cation channel. However, recent evidence indicates that the gut microbiota influences many physiological processes in host and might provoke obesity. This study determined whether the anti-obesity effect of CAP is related to the changes in gut microbiota. C57BL/6 mice were fed either with high-fat diet (HFD) or HFD with CAP (HFD-CAP) for 9 weeks. We observed a significantly reduced weight gain and improved glucose tolerance in HFD-CAP-fed mice compared with HFD-fed mice...

The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is increasing rapidly worldwide. However, effective strategies for combating high-fat diet (HFD) induced obesity, fatty liver and metabolic disorder are still limited, and outcomes remain poor. In the present study, we evaluated the combined actions of dietary capsaicin and antibiotics on HFD-induced physiological abnormalities in mice. C57BL/6 male mice were fed with HFD (60% calories from fat) for 17 weeks, and the resultant pathophysiological effects were examined...

Background: The effects of capsaicin on obesity and glucose homeostasis are still controversial and the mechanisms underlying these effects remain largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate the potential relationship between the regulation of obesity and glucose homeostasis by dietary capsaicin and the alterations of gut microbiota in obese diabetic ob/ob mice. Methods: The ob/ob mice were subjected to a normal, low-capsaicin (0.01%), or high-capsaicin (0.02%) diet for 6 weeks, respectively. Obesity phenotypes, glucose homeostasis, the gut microbiota structure and composition, short-chain fatty acids, gastrointestinal hormones, and pro-inflammatory cytokines were measured...

Metabolic endotoxemia originating from dysbiotic gut microbiota has been identified as a primary mediator for triggering the chronic low-grade inflammation (CLGI) responsible for the development of obesity. Capsaicin (CAP) is the major pungent bioactivator in chili peppers and has potent anti-obesity functions, yet the mechanisms linking this effect to gut microbiota remain obscure. Here we show that mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) supplemented with CAP exhibit lower levels of metabolic endotoxemia and CLGI associated with lower body weight gain...

CONTEXT: Previous population studies in evaluating the beneficial effects of capsaicin (CAP) have yielded inconclusive results, and the mechanisms responsible for possible benefit remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to assess the effect of dietary CAP on metabolic and immune profiles and its potential associations with gut microbial patterns in healthy adults. DESIGN: In a 6-week controlled feeding trial, subjects were given the weight maintenance diet sequentially contained with 0, 5, 0, and 10 mg/d CAP from chili powder...

Capsaicin is the most predominant and naturally occurring alkamide found in Capsicum fruits. Since its discovery in the 19th century, the therapeutic roles of capsaicin have been well characterized. The potential applications of capsaicin range from food flavorings to therapeutics. Indeed, capsaicin and few of its analogues have featured in clinical research covered by more than a thousand patents. Previous records suggest pleiotropic pharmacological activities of capsaicin such as an analgesic, anti-obesity, anti-pruritic, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, and neuro-protective functions...

BACKGROUND: Ghrelin may stimulate gastric motility via the vagal nerve pathway. However, the mechanism of ghrelin-induced changes in gastrointestinal motility has not yet been clearly defined. The present study was designed to investigate whether ghrelin accelerates gastric emptying via capsaicin-sensitive afferent neurones and directly affects the enteric neuromuscular function. METHODS: Gastric emptying of nutrient solids was assessed after intravenous administration of saline or ghrelin in conscious rats...

Phytantriol- and glycerol monooleate-based cubosomes were produced and characterized as a targeted and sustained transdermal delivery system for capsaicin. The cubosomes were prepared by emulsification and homogenization of phytantriol (F1), glycerol monooleate (F2), and poloxamer dispersions, characterized for morphology and particle size distribution by transmission electron microscope and photon correlation spectroscopy. Their Im3m crystallographic space group was confirmed by small-angle X-ray scattering...

A growing body of evidence suggests that capsaicin ingestion may lead to desirable metabolic outcomes; however, the results in humans are equivocal. Whether or not benefits may be gained from ingestion of capsaicin via a commercially available meal has not been determined. The objectives of this randomised, cross-over intervention study were to compare the 2 h postprandial effects of a standard commercially prepared meal containing chilli (HOT, 5·82 mg total capsaicinoids) with a similar meal with no chilli (CON, 25 kg/m2 and a waist circumference >94 cm (men) or 80 cm (women), were studied...

Insulin resistance is a major characteristic of obesity and type 2 diabetes, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. Recent studies have shown a metabolic role of capsaicin that may be mediated via the transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 (TRPV1) channel. In this study, TRPV1 knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice (as controls) were fed a high-fat diet (HFD), and metabolic studies were performed to measure insulin and leptin action. The TRPV1 KO mice became more obese than the WT mice after HFD, partly attributed to altered energy balance and leptin resistance in the KO mice...

This study investigated the effect of Capsicum oleoresin in granular form (CAP) on nutrient digestibility, immune responses, oxidative stress markers, blood chemistry, rumen fermentation, rumen bacterial populations, and productivity of lactating dairy cows. Eight multiparous Holstein cows, including 3 ruminally cannulated, were used in a replicated 4×4 Latin square design experiment. Experimental periods were 25 d in duration, including a 14-d adaptation and an 11-d data collection and sampling period. Treatments included control (no CAP) and daily supplementation of 250, 500, or 1,000 mg of CAP/cow...

Here, we investigated the role of LXRα in capsaicin mediated anti-inflammatory effects. Results revealed that capsaicin inhibits LPS-induced IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α production in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Moreover, capsaicin increases LXRα expression through PPARγ pathway. Inhibition of LXRα activation by siRNA diminished the inhibitory action of capsaicin on LPS-induced IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α production. Additionally, LXRα siRNA abrogated the inhibitory action of capsaicin on p65 NF-κB protein expression...

BACKGROUND: Incomplete efficiency of oral medications restricts their therapeutic success in pain control of the painful form of the diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Use of topical medications because of less systemic side effects is more acceptable. This study aimed to compare the effect of clonidine gel and capsaicin cream in relieving pain associated with DPN. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This 12-week, randomized, double-blind and parallel-group trial was conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of topical clonidine and capsaicin...

Capsaicin, the phytochemical responsible for the spiciness of peppers, has the potential to modulate metabolism via activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) receptors, which are found not only on nociceptive sensory neurons, but also in a range of other tissues. TRPV1 activation induces calcium influx, and in certain tissues this is associated with increased activation or expression of key proteins such as endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2), KLF2, PPARdelta, PPARgamma, and LXRα...

OBJECTIVES: Capsaicin (CAP) is the chief pungent principle found in the hot red peppers and the chili peppers that have long been used as spices, food additives and drugs. This study investigated the anticancer potential of CAP through its ability to modify extracellular matrix components and proteases during mice lung carcinogenesis. METHODS: Swiss albino mice were treated with benzo(a) pyrene (50 mg/kg body weight dissolved in olive oil) orally twice a week for four successive weeks to induce lung cancer at the end of 14(th) week...

BACKGROUND: Spices have been used for thousands of years, and recent studies suggest that certain spices confer beneficial effects on gastric disorders. The purpose of this study was to evaluate possible chemopreventive effects of spice-derived compounds on Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-induced gastritis. METHODS: We examined the inhibitory effects of curcumin, capsaicin, and piperine on H. pylori in vitro by determining the colony-forming units and real-time RT-PCR in H...

Dietary hypocholesterolemic spices-curcumin (active compound of turmeric (Curcuma longa)) and capsaicin (active compound of red pepper (Capsicum annuum)), the active principles of spices-turmeric (Curcuma longa) and red pepper (Capsicum annuum), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seeds, garlic (Allium sativum), and onion (Allium cepa) are documented to have anti-cholelithogenic property in animal model. These spices prevent the induction of cholesterol gallstones by lithogenic high cholesterol diet and also regress the pre-established cholesterol gallstones, by virtue of their hypolipidemic potential...

Temporal lobe epilepsy is often presented by medically intractable recurrent seizures due to dysfunction of temporal lobe structures, mostly the temporomesial structures. The role of transient receptor potential vaniloid 1 (TRPV1) activity on synaptic plasticity of the epileptic brain tissues was investigated. We studied hippocampal TRPV1 protein content and distribution in the hippocampus of epileptic rats. Furthermore, the effects of pharmacologic modulation of TRPV1 receptors on field excitatory postsynaptic potentials have been analyzed after induction of long term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 areas after 1 day (acute phase) and 3 months (chronic phase) of pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE)...