Surh Y J, Lee S S
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8034, USA.
Food Chem Toxicol. 1996 Mar;34(3):313-6. doi: 10.1016/0278-6915(95)00108-5.
Capsaicin (trans-8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) is a major pungent ingredient of the Capsicum fruits such as hot green and red peppers. Besides its use as a food additive in various spicy cuisines, capsaicin is currently utilized for therapeutic purposes to treat various peripheral painful conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and diabetic neuropathy. Considering consumption of capsaicin as a food additive and its current medicinal application in humans, correct evaluation and precise assessment of any harmful effects of this compound are essential from the public health standpoint. Numerous investigations have been conducted to determine the potential mutagenic and carcinogenic activity of capsaicin and chili pepper, but results are discordant. This review briefly examines findings in the literature of studies testing mutagenicity and tumorigenicity of capsaicin and presents a possible mechanistic basis for the dual effects exerted by the compound.
辣椒素（反式-8-甲基-N-香草基-6-壬烯酰胺）是辣椒果实（如青椒和红椒）中的主要辛辣成分。除了在各种辛辣菜肴中用作食品添加剂外，辣椒素目前还被用于治疗目的，以治疗各种外周疼痛病症，如类风湿性关节炎和糖尿病性神经病变。考虑到辣椒素作为食品添加剂的食用情况及其目前在人类中的药用应用，从公共卫生角度正确评估和精确评估该化合物的任何有害影响至关重要。已经进行了大量研究以确定辣椒素和辣椒的潜在诱变和致癌活性，但结果并不一致。本综述简要考察了测试辣椒素致突变性和致癌性的文献研究结果，并提出了该化合物发挥双重作用的可能机制基础。
