Capsaicin News and Research

RSS

Rare gene mutation gives rise to low sensitivity to pain

Researchers at University College London have identified a rare gene mutation in an Italian family who have little sensitivity to some forms of pain. Chronic pain caused by conditions such as lower back pain and osteoarthritis is one of the most prominent causes of disability worldwide, as assessed by the Global Burden of Disease reviews.

15 Dec 2017

New HIVMA guidelines recommend screening everyone with HIV for chronic pain

Because ongoing pain is a significant problem that affects 39 to 85 percent of people living with HIV, everyone with the infection should be assessed for chronic pain, recommend guidelines released by the HIV Medicine Association of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

14 Sep 2017

Discovery of ‘protective shield’ for b-cells could provide new option for treating diabetes

The islets of Langerhans in the human pancreas produce and release insulin to regulate blood glucose levels. Insulin, which is specifically produced in b-cells, serves to prompt cells to take up glucose circulating in blood.

21 Jun 2017

Research uncovers role of gut microbiota in anti-obesity effects of dietary capsaicin

Scientists have discovered a dietary strategy that may address obesity by reducing endotoxemia, a major contributor to chronic, low-grade inflammation (CLGI).

23 May 2017

Fetal alcohol exposure reduces taste system's responsiveness to bitter flavor and burning sensation

A new study suggests that fetal alcohol exposure reduces the taste system's responsiveness to the bitter flavor and burning sensation of many varieties of alcoholic beverages.

18 May 2017

Vanderbilt geneticists find new way to tap plant pharmacopeia to produce improved therapeutics

Cocaine, nicotine, capsaicin. These are just three familiar examples of the hundreds of thousands of small molecules (also called specialized or secondary metabolites) that plants use as chemical ammunition to protect themselves from predation.

17 Apr 2017

Antidepressants and anti-seizure drugs can effectively treat diabetic nerve pain, research finds

A federal health agency has found certain antidepressants and anti-seizure drugs are among medications that effectively treat diabetic nerve pain.

25 Mar 2017

Blocking new genetic marker could alleviate pain from serious burns

The unpleasant sensation sparked by the nervous system when confronted with a harmful stimulus can be alleviated by blocking a genetic marker that switches off the activity of the neurons involved.

1 Feb 2017

Active ingredient of pungent substances slows growth of breast cancer cells

Capsaicin, an active ingredient of pungent substances such as chilli or pepper, inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells.

20 Dec 2016

Combination of ginger and chili peppers could help reduce cancer risk

For many people, there's nothing more satisfying than a hot, spicy meal. But some research has suggested that capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their kick, might cause cancer.

7 Sep 2016

New study may help develop effective medication for severe pain

The nerve cells that transmit pain signals in the body are called nociceptors. When activated they release pro-inflammatory neuropeptides. In order to recognise harmful external influences, nociceptors are equipped with a wide range of receptors.

30 Jun 2016

Photodynamic therapy effective in treating porphyrias but can be severely painful, cause inflammation

Severe paleness and photosensitivity are two symptoms of a rare group of hereditary diseases that affect haem, a substance in the blood. While these metabolic disorders - known as the porphyrias - are extremely rare, a similar effect is often deliberately triggered by dermatologists in localised areas during the treatment of pre-cancerous skin lesions and skin cancers.

24 Jun 2016

Ways to prevent, treat knee and hip joint pain

In the past four weeks, more than one-third of people over the age of 55 in the United States have complained about hip or knee pain to their physician. In a lifetime, our hips and knees get a lot of use. There are various ways individuals can reduce the strain placed on their joints to maintain the health of their hips and knees.

8 Jun 2016

Neurons in hypothalamus help maintain blood glucose levels, study finds

To learn what different cells do, scientists switch them on and off and observe what the effects are. There are many methods that do this, but they all have problems: too invasive, or too slow, or not precise enough. Now, a new method to control the activity of neurons in mice, devised by scientists at Rockefeller University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, avoids these downfalls by using magnetic forces to remotely control the flow of ions into specifically targeted cells.

24 Mar 2016

Noninvasive FMRI may help evaluate effectiveness of new pain medications

New research may allow new, more effective and safer pain medications to reach patients who suffer from chronic pain sooner. According to a recent study published in Anesthesiology, the official medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI), to measure the brain's neural response to pain, may be a viable tool for evaluating the effectiveness of new pain medications during the early stages of human drug development - providing the needed objective evidence to prevent the premature discarding of potentially beneficial therapies.

4 Feb 2016

New breakthrough advances our understanding of how brain detects, prevents dehydration

Scientists at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) and Duke University have made a breakthrough that advances our understanding of how the brain detects and prevents dehydration.

16 Oct 2015

Compound responsible for chilis' heat may help kill prostate cancer cells

Capsaicin, the compound responsible for chilis' heat, is used in creams sold to relieve pain, and recent research shows that in high doses, it kills prostate cancer cells. Now researchers are finding clues that help explain how the substance works. Their conclusions suggest that one day it could come in a new, therapeutic form.

10 Sep 2015

Hot chilli may be the key to lose weight, say Adelaide University researchers

University of Adelaide researchers have discovered a high-fat diet may impair important receptors located in the stomach that signal fullness.

19 Aug 2015

Eating spicy food regularly may help us live longer

People who consume spicy foods regularly throughout the week have a 14% lower risk of death than people who eat them less than once a week, suggests a study of Chinese individuals.

6 Aug 2015

UC Davis research paves way for designing more effective drugs to relieve pain

UC Davis researchers have identified the molecular interactions that allow capsaicin to activate the body's primary receptor for sensing heat and pain, paving the way for the design of more selective and effective drugs to relieve pain. Their study appeared online June 8 in the journal Nature Chemical Biology.

10 Jun 2015