Anticancer Activity of Capsaicin Formulations: Study

Sustained-release formulations of capsaicin are being explored for extended anticancer activity. Recently in Pharmacology & Therapeutics, the article chronicles the growth-suppressive activity of sustained-release capsaicin drugs, including solid dispersion systems, liposomes, phospholipid complexes, and nanoparticles.

This is the first publication to provide an in-depth description of the anticancer activity of capsaicin sustained-release formulations. The research team was led by Piyali Dasgupta and Monica Valentovic.

“This review article is the first to provide a comprehensive overview of capsaicin formulations in human cancer. Previous publications in the literature only briefly address sustained-release formulations of capsaicin,” said Dasgupta.

The nutritional agent capsaicin displayed robust growth-inhibitory activity in a diverse array of human cancers. However, the clinical applications of capsaicin as a viable anticancer agent were hindered by three factors — poor solubility, low bioavailability, and spicy flavor.

“Oral use of capsaicin is associated with unfavorable side effects such as stomach cramps, nausea, a burning sensation in the gut, and gastrointestinal irritation,” said Valentovic.

“A strategy to overcome these drawbacks is the development of different delivery systems, such as encapsulating capsaicin in long-acting sustained release drug delivery systems could allow for more consistent capsaicin levels that could be more efficient as anticancer agents.”

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Source-Medindia