The mutagenicity of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin in V79 cells

Cancer Lett. 1989 Nov 30;48(2):109-13. doi: 10.1016/0304-3835(89)90045-1.

Abstract

A crude mixture of capsaicinoids (CAPs) from Capsicum frutrescens, capsaicin (C) and dihydrocapsaicin (DC) but not 4-methyl-dihydrocapsaicin (MC), a synthetic homolog of DC, were mutagenic in the V79 assay. Oxidative metabolism of C and DC by microsomes or ferricyanide yielded a dimer of C or DC. Based on the lack of mutagenicity of MC, the mutagenicities of C and DC and the supporting chemical data, a mechanism of action involving an intermediate phenoxy radical is proposed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Capsaicin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Capsaicin / toxicity*
  • Cell Line
  • Chemical Phenomena
  • Chemistry
  • Cricetinae
  • Cricetulus
  • Ferricyanides
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Microsomes, Liver / metabolism
  • Mutagenicity Tests
  • Mutagens*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Ferricyanides
  • Mutagens
  • hexacyanoferrate III
  • Capsaicin
  • dihydrocapsaicin