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Merritt JC, Richbart SD, Moles EG, Cox AJ, Brown KC, Miles SL, Finch PT, Hess JA, Tirona MT, Valentovic MA, Dasgupta P. Anti-cancer activity of sustained release capsaicin formulations. Pharmacol Ther 2022; 238:108177. [PMID: 35351463 PMCID: PMC9510151 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2022.108177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Capsaicin (trans-8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-noneamide) is a hydrophobic, lipophilic vanilloid phytochemical abundantly found in chili peppers and pepper extracts. Several convergent studies show that capsaicin displays robust cancer activity, suppressing the growth, angiogenesis and metastasis of several human cancers. Despite its potent cancer-suppressing activity, the clinical applications of capsaicin as a viable anti-cancer drug have remained problematic due to its poor bioavailability and aqueous solubility properties. In addition, the administration of capsaicin is associated with adverse side effects like gastrointestinal cramps, stomach pain, nausea and diarrhea and vomiting. All these hurdles may be circumvented by encapsulation of capsaicin in sustained release drug delivery systems. Most of the capsaicin-based the sustained release drugs have been tested for their pain-relieving activity. Only a few of these formulations have been investigated as anti-cancer agents. The present review describes the physicochemical properties, bioavailability, and anti-cancer activity of capsaicin-sustained release agents. The asset of such continuous release capsaicin formulations is that they display better solubility, stability, bioavailability, and growth-suppressive activity than the free drug. The encapsulation of capsaicin in sustained release carriers minimizes the adverse side effects of capsaicin. In summary, these capsaicin-based sustained release drug delivery systems have the potential to function as novel chemotherapies, unique diagnostic imaging probes and innovative chemosensitization agents in human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin C Merritt
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755, United States
| | - Stephen D Richbart
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755, United States
| | - Emily G Moles
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755, United States
| | - Ashley J Cox
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755, United States
| | - Kathleen C Brown
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755, United States
| | - Sarah L Miles
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755, United States
| | - Paul T Finch
- Department of Oncology, Edwards Cancer Center, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, 1400 Hal Greer Boulevard, Huntington, WV 25755, United States
| | - Joshua A Hess
- Department of Oncology, Edwards Cancer Center, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, 1400 Hal Greer Boulevard, Huntington, WV 25755, United States
| | - Maria T Tirona
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Edwards Cancer Center, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, 1400 Hal Greer Boulevard, Huntington, WV 25755, United States
| | - Monica A Valentovic
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755, United States
| | - Piyali Dasgupta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755, United States.
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Friedman JR, Richbart SD, Merritt JC, Perry HE, Brown KC, Akers AT, Nolan NA, Stevenson CD, Hurley JD, Miles SL, Tirona MT, Valentovic MA, Dasgupta P. Capsaicinoids enhance chemosensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs. Adv Cancer Res 2019; 144:263-298. [PMID: 31349900 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2019.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Cytotoxic chemotherapy is the mainstay of cancer treatment. Conventional chemotherapeutic agents do not distinguish between normal and neoplastic cells. This leads to severe toxic side effects, which may necessitate the discontinuation of treatment in some patients. Recent research has identified key molecular events in the initiation and progression of cancer, promoting the design of targeted therapies to selectively kill tumor cells while sparing normal cells. Although, the side effects of such drugs are typically milder than conventional chemotherapies, some off-target effects still occur. Another serious challenge with all chemotherapies is the acquisition of chemoresistance upon prolonged exposure to the drug. Therefore, identifying supplementary agents that sensitize tumor cells to chemotherapy-induced apoptosis and help minimize drug resistance would be valuable for improving patient tolerance and response to chemotherapy. The use of effective supplementary agents provides a twofold advantage in combination with standard chemotherapy. First, by augmenting the activity of the chemotherapeutic drug it can lower the dose needed to kill tumor cells and decrease the incidence and severity of treatment-limiting side effects. Second, adjuvant therapies that lower the effective dose of chemotherapy may delay/prevent the development of chemoresistance in tumors. Capsaicinoids, a major class of phytochemical compounds isolated from chili peppers, have been shown to improve the efficacy of several anti-cancer drugs in cell culture and animal models. The present chapter summarizes the current knowledge about the chemosensitizing activity of capsaicinoids with conventional and targeted chemotherapeutic drugs, highlighting the potential use of capsaicinoids in novel combination therapies to improve the therapeutic indices of conventional and targeted chemotherapeutic drugs in human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie R Friedman
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - Stephen D Richbart
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - Justin C Merritt
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - Haley E Perry
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - Kathleen C Brown
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - Austin T Akers
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - Nicholas A Nolan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - Cathryn D Stevenson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - John D Hurley
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - Sarah L Miles
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - Maria T Tirona
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - Monica A Valentovic
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - Piyali Dasgupta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States.
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