Scientists say capsaicin, a compound that gives habanera, jalapeno and other kinds of red peppers their heat, can literally drive prostate cancer into committing suicide. In fact, UCLA researchers speculate that future doctors may use capsaicin-laced pills to thwart prostate cancer's return.

A new study in the Cancer Research journal shows that a protein active in prostate cancer cells in mice was significantly beaten back by capsaicin, which caused almost 80 percent of the cells to die. What's more, the prostate cancer tumors were one-fifth the size of tumors in mice in the experiment that weren't treated with capsaicin.

Now, UCLA medical professor H. Phillip Koeffler, the study's lead author, said the next step is to see if the hot stuff works in men with prostate cancer. He added that capsaicin also was effective against leukemia. For years, experts have touted red chili pepper as the thing that stymies the growth of pancreatic cancer and also slashes fat and boosts energy when added to an eating plan.

Don't down bowls of chili just yet

But Koeffler and other cancer experts cautioned not to start downing a truckload of peppers.

"Our calculation is that you would have to eat 10 habanera peppers three times a week, which would be equivalent to the amount of capsaicin we gave to the mice," he said.

UCLA researchers tested the effectiveness of capsaicin by injecting prostate cancer cells into mice and then giving the rodents capsaicin by stomach tubes. The doses equaled 400 milligrams of capsaicin three times a week for a 200-pound man.

Amazingly, after four weeks, the size of the prostate tumors had decreased significantly. In addition, capsaicin inhibited the growth of the tumors without causing toxic side effects in the critters, researchers said.

Will capsaicin's flames work in men?

Health experts said the study highlights how conventional and alternative therapies may work together to battle disease, although alternative therapies will have mixed results.

"We should take note of herbal medicines and then use modern-day techniques to find what the active compounds are and bring them into clinical trials." Koeffler said.

Habaneras are the highest rated pepper for capsaicin content, typically containing between 60 to 120 times the levels in the more popular jalapeno.

Chris Hiley, head of policy and research at the United Kingdom's Prostate Cancer Charity said the research was interesting, but questioned whether a lab experiment would work the same in men. High intake of hot chilies has been linked to stomach cancers in India and Mexico, he added.

A low-fat diet rich in fruit and vegetables, including the occasional chili, can help to reduce the risk of cancer, said Kat Arney, a science information officer at Cancer Research UK.

Over half-million cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed every year throughout the world, with 200,000 men dying from the disease. However, if caught early when confined to the gland, the disease has a 90-95% cure rate.

For more information on prostate cancer, click here and here.

Nubella Health Editor Steve Smith is a prostate cancer survivor.

Source: Nubella News
Posted by: Steve Smith
Reference: Cancer Research
Website: www.nubella.com

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