Posted on 03/17/2006 11:05:19 PM PST by MRMEAN
The ingredient which makes jalapeno peppers hot also makes prostate cancer cells commit suicide, a study suggests.
Tests showed that capsaicin triggered 80% of the cells to start the process leading to cell death.
The US research in the journal Cancer Research also found tumours treated with capsaicin were smaller.
UK prostate experts say capsaicin could be the basis of a future drug but warned eating too many hot peppers has been linked to stomach cancer.
We caution men with prostate cancer in the UK against upping their weekly intake of the hottest known chillies Chris Hiley, The Prostate Cancer Charity
In the study, researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center studied mice who had been genetically modified to have human prostate cancer cells.
They were given a dose of pepper extract equivalent to a man of 200 pounds (90.7kg) taking 400 milligrams of capsaicin three times a week.
That would be the same as having between three and eight fresh habanero peppers - the highest rated peppers for capsaicin content.
Normal cells go through a constant process where millions die every second - a process called apoptosis - while millions more are made, to keep the numbers the same.
But cancer cells avoid that process and "dodge" apoptosis by mutating or deregulating the genes that participate in programmed cell suicide.
Capsaicin was seen to increase the amount of certain proteins involved in the apoptosis process.
Capsaicin also reduced the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a protein whch is often produced in high quantities by prostate tumours.
Fish intake
Dr Soren Lehmann, who led the study, said: "Capsaicin had a profound anti-proliferative effect on human prostate cancer cells in culture.
"It also dramatically slowed the development of prostate tumours."
Chris Hiley, head of policy and research at The Prostate Cancer Charity, said: "This is interesting laboratory-based work on cells but we don't yet know how, if at all, it might help men with prostate cancer.
"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.
"For now, if men with prostate cancer want to improve their diet they should avoid fatty foods, eat less red and processed meat, increase their fish intake and enjoy a wide and plentiful range of fruit and vegetables every day."
Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/4805190.stm
Published: 2006/03/15 06:00:12 GMT
Nothing like taking the heat for the prostrate.
:-)
it works best if you them them in enemas
Good luck.
I know the rate of prostrate cancer in the South West is pretty high. What is it like in New Orleans?
Or a few dozen jalapenos
What is left over from the 10 Red Savina Habaneros I can't
stomach daily I grind up and rub into any open wounds just
to keep the heat turned up.
It may burn but it feels so much like victory over pain
that I consider it good medicine.
Now we know why they call you "windhorse" Gone with the wind like turpintine on a cat's arse... LMAO!
Do you have to injest or rub peppers in that area?
It seems we should have a lot more dead Texans than we do.
ping--I sense a dose of your killer salsa will be coming on soon.
Ha! Only 7 million on the Scoville scale. Blair's is 16 million. :-)
I generally stick to tabasco and cayenne pepper in my cooking now, with the hotter peppers added to chili, etc., just enough to induce the "sweats"..
Fact is, I would eat it hotter, but other people don't necessarily appreciate it when I cook food that sets their mouths on fire..
Additionally, you will find that most traditional "hispanic" and mexican food isn't really hot..
Peppers are used as a spice, to flavor food, not overpower it..
I don't know if it's been mentioned yet, but chili peppers, especially the really hot ones, can also irritate the stomach lining and bowels..
In some people this can lead to complications.. Like Ulcers...
Speaking of ulcers, if you have them, you should avoid chili peppers.. Or you will be very, very sorry..
Moderation in all things..
That includes moderation..
So, if peppers are so good at killing off cancer cells in the prostate, are there other cancers they can help? Or is this just alimentary?
ROFL !!
Do NOT rub peppers "in that area"...
There will be problems..
Sing Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" to yourself, and you will understand..
Blair's isn't a sauce, tho. It's a powder.
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