Investigations have revealed that chili peppers and "capsaicin" are not the cause for ulcer formation but is a healing and protective agent. In contrast to what might be expected, Capsaicin does not stimulate but inhibits acid secretion. Capsaicin stimulates alkali, mucus secretions and particularly gastric mucosal blood flow which help in prevention and healing of ulcers. Capsaicin acts by stimulating afferent neurons in the stomach and signals for protection against injury. Chili and its pungent ingredient, capsaicin, have been shown to protect against experimental gastric mucosal injury induced by various necrotizing agents such as ethanol and aspirin and stress.
Gastroprotection induced by capsaicin in healthy human subjects.
AIM: To evaluate the gastro-protective effect of capsaicin against the ethanol- and indomethacin (IND)-induced gastric mucosal damage in healthy human subjects.
METHODS: The effects of small doses (1-8 microg/mL, 100 mL) of capsaicin on the gastric acid secretion basal acid output (BAO) and its electrolyte concentration, gastric transmucosal potential difference (GTPD), ethanol- (5 mL 300 mL/L i.g.) and IND- (3x25 mg/d) induced gastric mucosal damage were tested in a randomized, prospective study of 84 healthy human subjects.
The possible role of desensitization of capsaicin-sensitive afferents was tested by repeated exposures and during a prolonged treatment.
RESULTS: Intragastric application of capsaicin protected thestomach as seen by: decreased the gastric Basal Acid Output and enhanced "non-parietal" component, GTPD in a dose-dependent manner.
The stomach was protected from alcoholic damage to the lining of the stomach by a decrease of GTPD evoked by ethanol was inhibited by the capsaicin application, which was reproducible.
Gastric microbleeding induced by IND was inhibited by co-administration with capsaicin, but was not influenced by two weeks pretreatment with a daily capsaicin dose of 3x400 microg i.g.
CONCLUSION: Capsaicin in low concentration range protects against gastric injuries induced by ethanol or IND, which is attributed to stimulation of the sensory nerve endings.
World J Gastroenterol. 2005 Sep 7;11(33):5180-4.Gastroprotection induced by capsaicin in healthy human subjects.
Mózsik G, Szolcsányi J, Rácz I. First Department of Medicine, Medical and Health Center, University of Pécs, Hungary. gyula.mozsik@aok.pte.hu
posted by DrR @ 4:46 PM
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