There are few things as frightening as cancer. It can appear seemingly out of nowhere, even if you do not have a family history of cancer. Moreover, if it is not caught early, even forms that would otherwise be easily treatable can be deadly. It’s only natural that researchers the world over have spent decades searching for a cure. They may have found an interesting potential treatment – capsaicin and cancer are a controversial pairing, but it might actually offer the ability to at least prevent, if not fight, cancer.
Capsaicin as an Analgesic
Capsaicin is pretty unique in the fact that it is an irritant that can actually work as an analgesic, or pain reliever. It irritates the mouth, and can cause serious pain in the eyes and mucus membranes. However, after the initial irritation, it has a suppressive effect on pain, which has led to it being heavily used in many creams, gels, ointments and even patches designed for use with physical pain, such as arthritis, and even diabetic neuropathy. This dual-role has led to it being studied for many other potential applications, including in the fight against cancer.
The Capsaicin and Cancer Connection
Capsaicin is one of the most heavily studied chemicals when it comes to fighting against cancer. Despite that, there is still a lot of uncertainty, even controversy surrounding it. For instance, some researchers firmly believe that not only does capsaicin not fight cancer, but that it is a co-carcinogen at best, and a carcinogen at worst (a cancer cause). However, others believe that it is a powerful anti-carcinogen and that it can provide potent benefits in the fight against cancer.
In a study published through the American Association for Cancer Research, it was stated, “Capsaicin is the principal pungent component in hot peppers including red chili peppers, jalapenos and habaneros. Consumed worldwide, capsaicin has a long and convoluted history of controversy about whether its consumption or topical application is entirely safe. Conflicting epidemiologic data and basic research study results suggest that capsaicin can act as a carcinogen or as a cancer preventative agent.”
There have been multiple studies on capsaicin and cancer, particularly in mice and using human-harvested cells in test tubes. One of the most publicized trials involved using capsaicin to treat mice with pancreatic cancer. Not only did the capsaicin stop the tumors’ growth in those mice, but it actually shrank them.
Another study that has gained worldwide interest involved the use of human skin cancer cells cultured in a test tube. When capsaicin was introduced to the cells, it bound to them, and disrupted the surrounding membrane, killing them outright. In a study published through the US National Library of Medicine, researchers stated, “Capsaicin has been shown to alter the expression of several genes involved in cancer cell survival, growth arrest, angiogenesis and metastasis.”
This seems very, very promising. However, a great deal of research and study is still required to determine if, and how, such a cure might work in humans.