Chili pepper extracts, capsaicin, and dihydrocapsaicin as potential anticancer agents targeting topoisomerases

BMC Complement Med Ther. 2024 Feb 21;24(1):96. doi: 10.1186/s12906-024-04394-5.

Abstract

DNA topoisomerases regulate conformational changes in DNA topology during normal cell growth, such as replication, transcription, recombination, and repair, and may be targeted for anticancer drugs. A DNA topology assay was used to investigate DNA-damaging/protective activities of extracts from Habanero Red (HR), Habanero Maya Red (HMR), Trinidad Moruga Scorpion (TMS), Jalapeno (J), Serrano pepper (SP), Habanero Red Savina (HRS), Bhut Jolokia (BJ), and Jamaica Rosso (JR) peppers, demonstrating their inhibitory effect on the relaxation of pBR by Topo I. DNA topoisomerase II (Topo II) is proven therapeutic target of anticancer drugs. Complete inhibition of Topo II was observed for samples TMS, HR, and HMR. Extracts J and SP had the lowest capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin content compared to other peppers. HR, HMR, TMS, J, S, HRS, BJ, JR extracts showed the anticancer effect, examined by MTS and xCell assay on the in vitro culture of human colon carcinoma cell line HCT116.

Keywords: Capsaicin; Chili pepper extract; Dihydrocapsaicin; Topoisomerases inhibition.

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacology
  • Capsaicin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Capsaicin / pharmacology
  • Capsicum* / genetics
  • Capsicum* / metabolism
  • DNA
  • Humans

Substances

  • dihydrocapsaicin
  • Capsaicin
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • DNA