Cancer cure news update 2017: Active ingredient in chilies could hold key to beat cancer

An active ingredient in chilies may hold the key to finally conquering breast cancer.

As reported by Metro, scientists at the Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany claim that capsaicin, an ingredient known to give the spice its trademark kick, can actually cause cancer-stricken cells to self-destruct.

According to the report of the Bochum-based research team, capsaicin inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells. They published their findings in the journal, "Breast Cancer – Targets and Therapy," and presented it together with colleagues from the Augusta clinics in Bochum, the hospital Herz-Jesu-Krankenhaus Dernbach, and the Centre of Genomics in Cologne.

The experiments were carried out using the SUM149PT cell culture, a model system for a triple-negative type of breast cancer. For a type of cancer this aggressive, chemotherapy is currently the only available treatment.

Their experiments allegedly demonstrated how capsaicin attaches itself to the cell membrane when it reaches a cancer cell and subsequently activates a cell receptor called TRPV1. This receptor controls which substances (such as calcium and sodium) are allowed to enter and exit the cancer cell.

When researchers activated the TRPV1 receptor in the cell culture by adding capsaicin for a period of several hours or days, the cancer cells reportedly divided more slowly. Moreover, the surviving cells were not able to move as quickly as before, which implies that their ability to metastasize in the body has been impeded.

"If we could switch on the TRPV1 receptor with specific drugs, this might constitute a new treatment approach for this type of cancer," lead researcher Prof. Hanns Hatt said.

However, their report stressed that intake of the substance via food or inhalation is insufficient for the purpose of treating cancer.

Aside from breast cancer, this new discovery shows a lot of promise in treating other types of cancer such as osteosarcoma, colon, and pancreatic cancer, while keeping normal cells unharmed.