Browsing by Subject "capsaicin"

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    Capsaicin and TRPV1 Channels in the Cardiovascular System: The Role of Inflammation
    (MDPI, 2021-12) Munjuluri, Sreepadaarchana; Wilkerson, Dru A.; Sooch, Gagandeep; Chen, Xingjuan; White, Fletcher A.; Obukhov, Alexander G.; Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine
    Capsaicin is a potent agonist of the Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) channel and is a common component found in the fruits of the genus Capsicum plants, which have been known to humanity and consumed in food for approximately 7000–9000 years. The fruits of Capsicum plants, such as chili pepper, have been long recognized for their high nutritional value. Additionally, capsaicin itself has been proposed to exhibit vasodilatory, antimicrobial, anti-cancer, and antinociceptive properties. However, a growing body of evidence reveals a vasoconstrictory potential of capsaicin acting via the vascular TRPV1 channel and suggests that unnecessary high consumption of capsaicin may cause severe consequences, including vasospasm and myocardial infarction in people with underlying inflammatory conditions. This review focuses on vascular TRPV1 channels that are endogenously expressed in both vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells and emphasizes the role of inflammation in sensitizing the TRPV1 channel to capsaicin activation. Tilting the balance between the beneficial vasodilatory action of capsaicin and its unwanted vasoconstrictive effects may precipitate adverse outcomes such as vasospasm and myocardial infarction, especially in the presence of proinflammatory mediators.
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    Molecular Understanding and Modern Application of Traditional Medicines: Triumphs and Trials
    (2008-08-12) Corson, Timothy W.; Crews, Craig M
    Traditional medicines provide fertile ground for modern drug development, but first they must pass along a pathway of discovery, isolation, and mechanistic studies before eventual deployment in the clinic. Here, we highlight the challenges along this route, focusing on the compounds artemisinin, triptolide, celastrol, capsaicin, and curcumin.