Posted on 03/16/2006 5:05:15 PM PST by blam
The red-hot power of chillies can kill cancer
By Roger Highfield, Science Editor
(Filed: 16/03/2006)
The substance in chillies that causes the tongue to burn also drives prostate cancer cells to kill themselves, according to research that could pave the way for new treatments.
The pepper component capsaicin makes the cells undergo programmed cell death or apoptosis, says a study published in the journal Cancer Research.
High intake of hot chillis has been linked to stomach cancer
Tests found that it induced approximately 80 per cent of cancer cells growing in mice to follow the molecular pathways leading to apoptosis.
Prostate cancer tumours treated with capsaicin were about one-fifth the size of tumours in non-treated mice, said a team from the Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre, Los Angeles, in collaboration with colleagues from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Every year, 10,000 men die and more than 30,000 are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK.
"Capsaicin had a profound anti-proliferative effect on human prostate cancer cells in culture," said Dr Sören Lehmann, team member.
He estimated that the dose of pepper extract fed to the mice was equivalent to giving 400 milligrams of capsaicin three times a week to a 200-pound man, roughly equivalent to between three and eight fresh habañera peppers.
Britain's Prostate Cancer Charity welcomed the study, but advised men not to eat more hot chillis.
Head of Policy and Research, Chris Hiley, said: "Eventually, it may be possible to extract the capsaicin and make it available as a drug treatment. In the meantime we caution men with prostate cancer in the UK against upping their weekly intake of the hottest known chillies. High intake of hot chillies has been linked with stomach cancers in the populations of India and Mexico."
Hmmmmm...take too many, get stomach cancer. Don't take enough, get ass cancer.
Dilemas, dilemas...(or is that "dilenemas"?)
Even cancer cells can't resist. Those peppers just leave a burned out flaming path upon exiting. Aye carumba.
Care to share the recipe?
Interesting study, but it didn't help my dad. From the time I was a little girl, I can remember him eating hot peppers like they were candy; we always had large jars of hot peppers in the refrigerator. Prostate cancer did him in 15 years ago.
Also known as Pric Kee Nu or (Rat Sh!t Chili).
Maybe somebody should figure out how to make a capsule of capsaicin that doesn't completely dissolve until it gets into the small intestine AFTER it exits the stomach?
Make the shell out of corn maybe?
Wheres Flea?
Mail me and I'll send ya mine--chili verde, made with pork, of course.
I call it "terrorist repellent".
Or peanut shells?
C'mon, ice cream!!!!
Nothing to do with the unsanitary conditions and lifestyles in those places, of course. Chow down on another habanero and live forever, gents !!!!
LOL!
They never have that effect on me. Must be because I'm an insensitive a-hole.
Hmmmm, what to do with that batch of jalapeno potato salad I just made?
Answer: I'll risk it. It came out gooood.
So I guess prostate cancer is rare in Mexico?
Cool. Just send it via freepmail and I'll give it a try.
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