Go Easy on the Chili Peppers

[Guest guest]

Hi folks:

" RESULTS: Four weeks after capsaicin treatment, there was a loss of

BMD in the metaphyses of the tibia and femur. In the proximal tibia,

the osteoclast number and surface increased, osteoblast activity and

bone formation were impaired, and trabecular bone volume and

connectivity were diminished. There was also a loss of bone strength

in the distal femur. No changes occurred in body weight, 24-h grid-

crossing activity, weight bearing, or muscle mass after capsaicin

treatment, indicating that skeletal unloading did not contribute to

the loss of bone integrity. Capsaicin treatment destroyed 57% of the

unmyelinated sensory axons, reduced the substance P and CGRP content

in the sciatic nerve and proximal tibia, and inhibited neurogenic

extravasation. "

***GULP!***

PMID: 15647820

Rodney.

[Guest guest]

I take it by your concluding " gulp! " that you are also a chili fiend.

A sad report indeed. I had also read once that there is a correlation

between the hot stuff and stomach cancer. I continue to eat them

on a daily(!) basis. Kind of like soy, even in the face of mounting

evidence, I keep eating my favorites. I think I've become so accustomed

to the contradicting studies that I wait for the " inevitable " rebuttal.

Alas, with some foods, I suppose it may never come, but we don't know

which ones. Hope springs eternal.

-

>

> Hi folks:

>

> " RESULTS: Four weeks after capsaicin treatment, there was a loss of

> BMD in the metaphyses of the tibia and femur. In the proximal tibia,

> the osteoclast number and surface increased, osteoblast activity and

> bone formation were impaired, and trabecular bone volume and

> connectivity were diminished. There was also a loss of bone strength

> in the distal femur. No changes occurred in body weight, 24-h grid-

> crossing activity, weight bearing, or muscle mass after capsaicin

> treatment, indicating that skeletal unloading did not contribute to

> the loss of bone integrity. Capsaicin treatment destroyed 57% of the

> unmyelinated sensory axons, reduced the substance P and CGRP content

> in the sciatic nerve and proximal tibia, and inhibited neurogenic

> extravasation. "

>

> ***GULP!***

>

> PMID: 15647820

>

> Rodney.

[Guest guest]

Contact: Clare

CollCX@...

phone: (412) 647-3555

fax: (412) 624-3184

Rossi

RossiL@...

phone: (412) 647-3555

fax: (412) 624-3184

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Spice it up or just veg out, either way you may be helping to defend

against cancer

Dietary agents in red chili pepper and vegetables linked to cancer

prevention

PITTSBURGH, April 19 –Two new studies suggest that vegetables such as

broccoli and spices like red chili pepper, may provide a

cancer-fighting benefit by slowing or preventing the growth of

cancerous tumor cells. The findings, being presented at the annual

meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research held April 16

to 20 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif., looked at

the effect of these dietary agents on cancers that have extremely poor

prognoses despite advances in surgery and other therapies.

" In our studies, we decided to look at two particular cancers –

ovarian and pancreatic – with low survival rates, to ascertain the

contribution of diet and nutrition to the development of these

cancers. We discovered that red chili pepper and broccoli appear to be

effective inhibitors of the cancer process, " said Sanjay K.

Srivastava, Ph.D., lead investigator and assistant professor,

department of pharmacology, University of Pittsburgh School of

Medicine. " The contribution of diet and nutrition to cancer risk,

prevention and treatment has been a major focus of research in recent

years because certain nutrients in vegetables and dietary agents

appear to protect the body against diseases such as cancer. "

The first study, abstract number 2469, looked at the chemotherapeutic

potential of capsaicin, the " hot " ingredient in red chili pepper that

is often associated with antioxidative and anti-inflammatory

activities, and found that it exhibited anticancer activity against

pancreatic cancer cells. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most

aggressive cancers with an extremely poor prognosis. Dr. Srivastava

and colleagues treated human pancreatic cells with capsaicin and found

that it disrupted the mitochondrial function resulting in the release

of cytochrome c, which induced apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in

the cancerous cells without affecting normal pancreatic cells.

" Our results demonstrate that capsaicin is a potent anticancer agent,

induces apoptosis in cancer cells and produces no significant damage

to normal pancreatic cells, indicating its potential use as a novel

chemotherapeutic agent for pancreatic cancer, " said Dr. Srivastava.

In the second study, abstract number 5194, Dr. Srivastava and

colleagues examined the therapeutic benefits of phenethyl

isothiocyanate (PEITC), a constituent of cruciferous vegetables such

as broccoli, on ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer, one of the leading

causes of gynecologic cancer-related deaths among women in the United

States, is often detected at an advanced stage, making it difficult to

treat successfully. In the study, ovarian cancer cells were exposed to

PEITC for 24 hours, which resulted in significant inhibition of the

protein expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). EGFR

plays a crucial role in the growth of ovarian cancer cells. PEITC

treatment also inhibited the activation of Akt, which is responsible

for protecting cancer cells against apoptosis. The concentrations of

PEITC used in the study were at levels that may be achieved through

dietary intake.

###

These studies were supported by a grant from the National Cancer

Institute. Co-investigators include Sivakumar Loganathan, Ph.D., and

Ian Humphreys, both with the department of pharmacology at the

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-04/uopm-siu041805.php

>

> I take it by your concluding " gulp! " that you are also a chili fiend.

> A sad report indeed. I had also read once that there is a correlation

> between the hot stuff and stomach cancer. I continue to eat them

> on a daily(!) basis. Kind of like soy, even in the face of mounting

> evidence, I keep eating my favorites. I think I've become so accustomed

> to the contradicting studies that I wait for the " inevitable " rebuttal.

> Alas, with some foods, I suppose it may never come, but we don't know

> which ones. Hope springs eternal.

>

> -

>

>

> --- In , " Rodney " <perspect1111@y...>

wrote:

> >

> > Hi folks:

> >

> > " RESULTS: Four weeks after capsaicin treatment, there was a loss of

> > BMD in the metaphyses of the tibia and femur. In the proximal tibia,

> > the osteoclast number and surface increased, osteoblast activity and

> > bone formation were impaired, and trabecular bone volume and

> > connectivity were diminished. There was also a loss of bone strength

> > in the distal femur. No changes occurred in body weight, 24-h grid-

> > crossing activity, weight bearing, or muscle mass after capsaicin

> > treatment, indicating that skeletal unloading did not contribute to

> > the loss of bone integrity. Capsaicin treatment destroyed 57% of the

> > unmyelinated sensory axons, reduced the substance P and CGRP content

> > in the sciatic nerve and proximal tibia, and inhibited neurogenic

> > extravasation. "

> >

> > ***GULP!***

> >

> > PMID: 15647820

> >

> > Rodney.