Secondary metabolites of Capsicum species and their importance in the human diet

Anticancer Potential and Capsianosides Identification in Lipophilic Fraction of Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

This study aimed to determine the health-promoting properties of sweet pepper by comparing the activity of fractions with variable lipophilicity. Fractions from red pericarp: aqueous (F1), 40% MeOH (F2), and 70% MeOH (F3) were analyzed for antiradical activity (with DPPH^• and ABTS^+•), and the contents of total phenolic compounds (TP), flavonoids (TF), and dihydroxycinnamic acids (TDHCA). The anticancer potential of the fractions was evaluated in vitro using different cancer cell lines: human colorectal carcinoma (HCT116) and PC-3 (prostate cancer cell). Fibroblast-like cells of L929 obtained from subcutaneous adipose tissue of mouse were used as normal cells. The highest content of TP, TF, and TDHCA along with the strongest antiradical activity was observed for fraction F2, while the strongest anticancer properties against PC-3 were observed in fraction F3. Fraction F3 primarily contained capsianoside derivatives, which had been isolated through chromatographic methods and identified by spectral methods. These analyses helped in identifying 8 compounds, including 3 new compounds.

Anticancer Effects of Nutraceuticals in the Mediterranean Diet: An Epigenetic Diet Model

Epidemiological and clinical studies support the association between nutrition and development or progression of different malignancies such as colon, breast, and prostate cancer, defining these tumors as diet-associated cancer. The Mediterranean diet shows inverse associations with metabolic diseases, cardiovascular pathologies and various types of cancer. Many bioactive nutrients of the Mediterranean diet have been identified as factors protective against these types of pathologies. The epigenome has been identified as the primary goal of modulations in gene expression related to these molecular nutrients. In fact, they can modify the epigenome and can be incorporated into the 'epigenetic diet', which translates into a diet regimen that can be used therapeutically for health or preventative purposes. Most epigenetic changes are influenced by lifestyle and nutrition. Epigenetic therapy is a new area for the development of nutraceuticals whose absence of toxicity can represent a valid asset in cancer prevention strategies. Recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of nutrigenomics, nutrigenetics and nutraceuticals have led to the identification of superfoods capable of favorably conditioning gene expression. In this review, we highlight the importance of nutraceuticals present in the Mediterranean diet as epigenetic modifiers both in the mechanisms of tumor onset and as protective agents.

Screening of Chilli Pepper Genotypes as a Source of Capsaicinoids and Antioxidants under Conditions of Simulated Drought Stress

In many regions of the world, the production of vegetable crops is limited by a deepening water crisis. Drought stress affects productivity and the chemical composition of crops. The variability of drought tolerance between species and cultivars of economically important crops, such as pepper (Capsicum species), requires specific investigations to understand the physiological and biochemical responses to the aftermath of drought. The fruits and leaves of four chilli pepper cultivars were investigated to elucidate the fruits' pungency (Scoville Heat Units, SHU), ascorbic acid content, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity, polyphenol content, membrane lipid peroxidation and key protective antioxidant enzyme activity under drought stress (18-28% volumetric water content) as compared to the control (35-60%). Drought increased the chilli pepper fruits' pungency expressed in Scoville Heat Units (SHU) as well as ascorbic acid content, but this relationship was also dependent on genotype and stress duration. 'Jolokia' was marked as most sensitive to drought by increasing content of capsaicinoids and DPPH˙ scavenging activity under stress conditions. Capsaicinoids and Ascorbic acid (AsA) greatly influenced the antioxidant activity of highly pungent chilli pepper fruits, although total phenols played a significant role in the mildly pungent genotypes. Generally, the activities of antioxidant enzymes increased under drought in chilli pepper leaves and fruits, although the intensity of the reaction varied among the cultivars used in the current research. All the investigated biochemical parameters were involved in the drought response of chilli pepper plants, but their significance and effectiveness were highly cultivar-dependent.

Inhibitory Activity of Flavonoids, Chrysoeriol and Luteolin-7-O-Glucopyranoside, on Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase from Capsicum chinense

: Three flavonoids derived from the leaves of Capsicum chinense Jacq. were identified as chrysoeriol (1), luteolin-7-O-glucopyranoside (2), and isorhamnetin-7-O-glucopyranoside (3). They had IC50 values of 11.6±2.9, 14.4±1.5, and 42.7±3.5 µg/mL against soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), respectively. The three inhibitors (1-3) were found to non-competitively bind into the allosteric site of the enzyme with Ki values of 10.5±3.2, 11.9 ±2.8 and 38.0±4.1 µg/mL, respectively. The potential inhibitors 1 and 2 were located at the left edge ofa U-tube shape that contained the enzyme active site. Additionally, we observed changes in several factors involved in the binding of these complexes under 300 K and 1 bar. Finally, it was confirmed that each inhibitor, 1 and 2, could be complexed with sEH by the "induced fit" and "lock-and-key" models.

Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidant Activity and Inhibition of Key Enzymes Relevant to Alzheimer's Disease from Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annuum) Extracts

Sweet pepper is a non-pungent chili of the Capsicum annuum species and is an important ingredient in daily diets due to its characteristics such as pungency, aromas, and flavors. Sweet pepper is a rich source of bioactive compounds such as phenols, carotenoids, and flavonoids, which can promote potential health benefits against various non-communicable diseases. However, research focused on anti-Alzheimer’s disease (AD) properties of sweet peppers is limited. Thus, this study aimed investigate bioactive compounds (flavonoids, phenolic acids, and carotenoids), antioxidant activity and anti-AD properties of four colored sweet peppers (green, red, orange, and yellow) via their abilities to inhibit key enzymes relevant to AD [acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and β-secretase (BACE1)]. Extraction solvents [hexane, ethyl acetate, and 70% (v/v) aqueous ethanol] were also investigated. Results suggested that yellow sweet pepper have the highest content of flavonoids, while green sweet pepper have the highest contents of phenolic acids and red sweet peppers have the highest content of carotenoids. In terms of anti-AD properties, green sweet peppers exhibited the highest antioxidant, anti-BChE, and anti-BACE1 activities; however, yellow sweet pepper extract exhibited the highest amounts of AChE inhibition. Bioactive compounds in sweet red peppers may therefore have anti-AD properties, and may be useful for AD prevention.

Natural variations in the MYB transcription factor MYB31 determine the evolution of extremely pungent peppers

Plants produce countless specialized metabolites crucial for their development and fitness, and many are useful bioactive compounds. Capsaicinoids are intriguing genus-specialized metabolites that confer a pungent flavor to Capsicum fruits, and they are widely applied in different areas. Among the five domesticated Capsicum species, Capsicum chinense has a high content of capsaicinoids, which results in an extremely hot flavor. However, the species-specific upregulation of capsaicinoid-biosynthetic genes (CBGs) and the evolution of extremely pungent peppers are not well understood. We conducted genetic and functional analyses demonstrating that the quantitative trait locus Capsaicinoid1 (Cap1), which is identical to Pun3 contributes to the level of pungency. The Cap1/Pun3 locus encodes the Solanaceae-specific MYB transcription factor MYB31. Capsicum species have evolved placenta-specific expression of MYB31, which directly activates expression of CBGs and results in genus-specialized metabolite production. The capsaicinoid content depends on MYB31 expression. Natural variations in the MYB31 promoter increase MYB31 expression in C. chinense via the binding of the placenta-specific expression of transcriptional activator WRKY9 and augmentation of CBG expression, which promotes capsaicinoid biosynthesis. Our findings provide insights into the evolution of extremely pungent C. chinense, which is due to natural variations in the master regulator, and offers targets for engineering or selecting flavor in Capsicum.

Capsaicinoids: Pungency beyond Capsicum

Capsaicinoids are metabolites responsible for the appealing pungency of Capsicum (chili pepper) species. The completion of the Capsicum annuum genome has sparked new interest into the development of biotechnological applications involving the manipulation of pungency levels. Pungent dishes are already part of the traditional cuisine in many countries, and numerous health benefits and industrial applications are associated to capsaicinoids. This raises the question of how to successfully produce more capsaicinoids, whose biosynthesis is strongly influenced by genotype-environment interactions in fruits of Capsicum. In this Opinion article we propose that activating the capsaicinoid biosynthetic pathway in a more amenable species such as tomato could be the next step in the fascinating story of pungent crops.

Overview of Fungi and Mycotoxin Contamination in Capsicum Pepper and in Its Derivatives

Capsicum products are widely commercialised and consumed worldwide. These substrates present unusual nutritional characteristics for microbial growth. Despite this, the presence of spoilage fungi and the co-occurrence of mycotoxins in the pepper production chain have been commonly detected. The main aim of this work was to review the critical control points, with a focus on mycotoxin contamination, during the production, storage and distribution of Capsicum products from a safety perspective; outlining the important role of ecophysiological factors in stimulating or inhibiting mycotoxin biosynthesis in these food commodities. Moreover, the human health risks caused by the ingestion of peppers contaminated with mycotoxins were also reviewed. Overall, Capsicum and its derivative-products are highly susceptible to contamination by mycotoxins. Pepper crop production and further transportation, processing and storage are crucial for production of safe food.

The suitability of chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) for alleviating human micronutrient dietary deficiencies: A review

Human micronutrient dietary deficiency remains an enormous global problem and probably accounts for the cause of many chronic health conditions and diseases. Above two (2) billion individuals on the planet today have been estimated to be deficient in major minerals and vitamins, predominantly zinc, iodine, vitamin A, and iron primarily due to inadequate dietary intake. The eradication of deficiencies in micronutrient on a sustainable basis will be conceivable only when diets of vulnerable populace provide all required nutrients in adequate amounts. Among the numerous approaches toward eradicating human dietary deficiency, feeding on a wide range of foods, especially vegetables that have an array of micronutrients, is still perceived as the best sustainable solution. The universal consumption of chili peppers (Capsicum annuum), known for their high nutritional content (which includes a good range of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and dietary fiber), may play a role in decreasing human micronutrient deficiencies. Significant portions of recommended daily nutrients could be supplied by the incorporation of nutrient-rich chili pepper into human diets which could help in combating nutrient deficiencies. This present review, therefore, gives an overview of the universal occurrence of micronutrient deficiency. It also discusses approaches that have been used to tackle the situation while stressing the potentials of chili pepper as a promising vegetable which could be utilized in alleviating human micronutrient dietary deficiencies. For all available information provided, research databases (Science direct, Academic journals, PubMed, and Google Scholar) were searched independently using keyword search strategy. Titles and abstracts were examined initially, and full papers were retrieved if studies met the inclusion criteria.

Food derived respiratory complex I inhibitors modify the effect of Leber hereditary optic neuropathy mutations

Mitochondrial DNA mutations in genes encoding respiratory complex I polypeptides can cause Leber hereditary optic neuropathy. Toxics affecting oxidative phosphorylation system can also cause mitochondrial optic neuropathy. Some complex I inhibitors found in edible plants might differentially interact with these pathologic mutations and modify their penetrance. To analyze this interaction, we have compared the effect of rotenone, capsaicin and rolliniastatin-1 on cybrids harboring the most frequent Leber hereditary optic neuropathy mutations and found that m.3460G > A mutation increases rotenone resistance but capsaicin and rolliniastatin-1 susceptibility. Thus, to explain the pathogenicity of mitochondrial diseases due to mitochondrial DNA mutations, their potential interactions with environment factors will have to be considered.

The genusCapsicum: a phytochemical review of bioactive secondary metabolites

The Capsicum genus is one of the most popular plants consumed and cultivated worldwide, containing approximately 50 000 varieties of pepper. Due to its wide biodiversity, the chemical composition within the genus also presents a great variability. Its major applications are in food and pharmacological industry, as pepper presents a chemical composition rich in capsaicinoids, carotenoids, flavonoids and volatile compounds which is attributed to the ability of the fruit to remove insipidity, produce aromas and act against oxidative diseases. Due the existence of several cultivars there is a huge intraspecific chemical variability within each species, which can be considered as an obstacle when selecting and cultivating a species to be applied as a natural product source for a specific objective. The usage of pepper-based products in different industrial areas requires pre-established ranges of chemical compounds, such as capsaicinoids, which in high concentration are toxic when consumed by humans. Applying a pepper with a chemical profile closely related to the concentration that is required after industrial processing can improve efficacy and effectiveness of the process. An insight into the chemical characteristics of major secondary bioactive compounds within Capsicum, the factors that affect their concentration and their chemosystematic implication are reported and discussed.

The Capsicum genus is economically important due to its chemical profile which is rich in capsaicinoids, carotenoids and flavonoids. Its unique chemical composition allows this genus to be applied from food additives to medicinal application.

Metabolite Profiling of Peppers of Various Colors Reveals Relationships Between Tocopherol, Carotenoid, and Phytosterol Content

Peppers are widely consumed in Korea; the varietal development of peppers with increased content of beneficial plant metabolites is, therefore, of considerable interest. This requires a comprehensive understanding of the metabolic profile of pepper plants and the factors affecting this profile. To this end, we determined the content of various metabolites, such as hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds, phenolic acids, carotenoids, and capsaicinoids in peppers of various colors (green, red, pale green, and violet peppers) and in a high-pungency (green) pepper. We also performed principal component analysis (PCA), Pearson's correlation analysis, and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) to determine the relationships among these metabolites in peppers. PCA results indicated no significant variances among the 3 sample replicates. The HCA showed correlations between the metabolites resulting from common or closely linked biosynthesis pathways. Our results showed that carotenoids correlated positively with tocopherols and negatively with phytosterols; our findings also indicated a close relationship between the methylerythritol 4-phosphate and mevalonic acid biosynthesis pathways, providing evidence in favor of an earlier hypothesis regarding crosstalk across the chloroplast membrane. We, thus, demonstrate that metabolic profiling combined with multivariate analysis is a useful tool for analyzing metabolic networks.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

A total of 71 metabolites were measured in 5 peppers of different colors. The metabolic profiling with multivariate analysis revealed that tocopherol content had a positive correlation with the carotenoid content and a negative correlation with the phytosterol content. The results of this study may help in breeding programs to produce new germplasm with enhanced nutritional quality.

Biosynthesis and function of simple amides in Xenorhabdus doucetiae

Xenorhabdus doucetiae, the bacterial symbiont of the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema diaprepesi produces several different fatty acid amides. Their biosynthesis has been studied using a combination of analysis of gene deletions and promoter exchanges in X. doucetiae and heterologous expression of candidate genes in E. coli. While a decarboxylase is required for the formation of all observed phenylethylamides and tryptamides, the acyltransferase XrdE encoded in the xenorhabdin biosynthesis gene cluster is responsible for the formation of short chain acyl amides. Additionally, new, long-chain and cytotoxic acyl amides were identified in X. doucetiae infected insects and when X. doucetiae was grown in Galleria Instant Broth (GIB). When the bioactivity of selected amides was tested, a quorum sensing modulating activity was observed for the short chain acyl amides against the two different quorum sensing systems from Chromobacterium and Janthinobacterium.

Phytochemicals in Capsicum oleoresin from different varieties of hot chilli peppers with their antidiabetic and antioxidant activities due to some phenolic compounds

Due to its wide use in nutritional therapy, a capsicum oleoresin extraction from hot chilli pepper was optimized using ultrasound assisted extraction. Under optimal conditions, a 0.1g sample in 10mL of a 20% water in methanol solution was extracted at 50°C for 20min to remove phytochemicals consisting of oleoresin, phenolics, carotenoids, flavonoids, capsaicinoids (pungency level), reducing sugars. Antioxidant and antidiabetic activities of the crude extracts from 14 chilli pepper varieties were examined. The antioxidant and antidiabetic activities of some phenolic compounds were also tested individually. The results showed that these chilli pepper samples are a rich source of phytochemicals with antioxidant and antidiabetic activities. High antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazolin-6-sulfonic acid) and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power assays. The crude extracts had a lower level of sugars induced by the inhibitory effect of α-amylase activity. Thus, their enzymatic inhibitory effect might have resulted from a synergism among the phytochemicals concerned. Therefore, a diet with this type of food may have beneficial health effects.

Harnessing anthocyanin-rich fruit: a visible reporter for tracing virus-induced gene silencing in pepper fruit

BACKGROUND

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) has become a powerful tool for post-genomic technology in plant species. This is important, especially in select plants, such as the pepper plant, that are recalcitrant to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Although VIGS in plants has been widely employed as a powerful tool for functional genomics, scattering phenotypic effects by uneven gene silencing has been implemented in order to overcome challenges in experiments with fruit tissues.

RESULTS

We improved the VIGS system based on the tobacco rattle virus (TRV) containing the An2 MYB transcription factor, which is the genetic determinant of purple colored- or anthocyanin-rich pepper. Silencing of endogenous An2 in the anthocyanin-rich pepper with the modified TRV vector for ligation-independent cloning (LIC) lacked purple pigment in its leaves, flowers, and fruits. Infection with TRV-LIC containing a tandem construct of An2 and phytoene desaturase (PDS) resulted in a typical photobleaching event in leaves without the purple pigment, whereas silencing of PDS led to the presence of photobleached and purple-colored leaves. Cosilencing of endogenous An2 and capsaicin synthase in fruits resulted in decreased levels of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin as assessed by high performance liquid chromatography analysis coupled with the absence of the purple pigment in fruits.

CONCLUSIONS

VIGS with tandem constructs harboring An2 as a visible reporter in anthocyanin-rich pepper plants can facilitate the application of functional genomics in the study of metabolic pathways and fruit biology.

Vitamin Variation in Capsicum Spp. Provides Opportunities to Improve Nutritional Value of Human Diets

Chile peppers, native to the Americas, have spread around the world and have been integrated into the diets of many cultures. Much like their heat content, nutritional content can vary dramatically between different pepper types. In this study, a diverse set of chile pepper types were examined for nutrient content. Some pepper types were found to have high levels of vitamin A, vitamin C, or folate. Correlations between nutrient content, species, cultivation status, or geographic region were limited. Varietal selection or plant breeding offer tools to augment nutrient content in peppers. Integration of nutrient rich pepper types into diets that already include peppers could help combat nutrient deficiencies by providing a significant portion of recommended daily nutrients.

Pilot-scale radio frequency pasteurisation of chili powder: heating uniformity and heating model

BACKGROUND

Microbial contamination is a vital obstacle needed to overcome for food safety of condiments. Radio frequency (RF) pasteurisation is a new technology to solve this obstacle. Temperature distribution and heating uniformity of sample, which are influenced by different factors, are the most important things affecting the nutritional ingredients and microbial safety of sample in the process of RF pasteurisation. This study demonstrated the location of cold spot in chili powder by analysing temperature distribution in horizontal and vertical direction. The related models were established and the accuracy was verified.

RESULTS

Cold spot located on the centre of sample surface in the process of RF pasteurisation. The averaged temperature of sample increased linearly. The uniformity index decreased as the averaged temperature increased. Both the correlation coefficient of two equations were greater than 0.91. The error value of heating rate and heating uniformity index was 0.54% and 0.75% between the measured value and predicted value.

CONCLUSION

Electric field was not uniformly distributed between RF parallel-plate electrodes in the RF pasteurisation of chili powder. The heating models were reliable to predict experiment results with high precision and accuracy. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Chronic ozone exposure alters the secondary metabolite profile, antioxidant potential, anti-inflammatory property, and quality of red pepper fruit from Capsicum baccatum

Tropospheric ozone (O3) background concentrations have increased since pre-industrial times, reaching phytotoxic concentrations in many regions globally. However, the effect of high O3 concentrations on quality of fruit and vegetables remains unknown. Here, we evaluated whether O3 pollution alters the quality of Capsicum baccatum peppers by changing the secondary compound profiles and biological activity of the fruit. C. baccatum pepper plants were exposed to ozone for 62 days in an open-top chamber at a mean O3 concentration of 171.6µg/m(3). Capsaicin levels decreased by 50% in the pericarp, but remained unchanged in the seeds. In contrast, the total carotenoid content increased by 52.8% in the pericarp. The content of total phenolic compounds increased by 17% in the pericarp. The total antioxidant potential decreased by 87% in seeds of O3-treated plants. The seeds contributed more than the pericarp to the total radical-trapping antioxidant potential and total antioxidant reactivity. O3 treatment impaired the ferric-reducing antioxidant power of the seeds and reduced NO(•)-scavenging activity in the pericarp. However, O3 treatment increased ferrous ion-chelating activity and hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity in the pericarp. Our results confirm that O3 alters the secondary metabolite profile of C. baccatum pepper fruits and, consequently, their biological activity profile.

Vitamin C and reducing sugars in the world collection of Capsicum baccatum L. genotypes

This study aimed to analyze 123 genotypes of Capsicum baccatum L. originating from 22 countries, at two stages of fruit development, for vitamin C content and its relationship with reducing sugars in fruit pericarp. Among the parametric population, vitamin C and reducing sugar concentrations ranged between 2.54 to 50.44 and 41-700mgg(-1) DW of pericarp, respectively. Overall, 14 genotypes accumulated 50-500% of the RDA of vitamin C in each 2g of fruit pericarp on a dry weight basis. Compared with ripened fruits, matured (unripened) fruits contained higher vitamin C and lower reducing sugars. About 44% variation in the vitamin C content could be ascribed to levels of reducing sugars. For the first time, this study provides comprehensive data on vitamin C in the world collection of C. baccatum genotypes that could serve as a key resource for food research in future.

Exploring natural variation of photosynthetic, primary metabolism and growth parameters in a large panel of Capsicum chinense accessions

Collectively, the results presented improve upon the utility of an important genetic resource and attest to a complex genetic basis for differences in both leaf metabolism and fruit morphology between natural populations. Diversity of accessions within the same species provides an alternative method to identify physiological and metabolic traits that have large effects on growth regulation, biomass and fruit production. Here, we investigated physiological and metabolic traits as well as parameters related to plant growth and fruit production of 49 phenotypically diverse pepper accessions of Capsicum chinense grown ex situ under controlled conditions. Although single-trait analysis identified up to seven distinct groups of accessions, working with the whole data set by multivariate analyses allowed the separation of the 49 accessions in three clusters. Using all 23 measured parameters and data from the geographic origin for these accessions, positive correlations between the combined phenotypes and geographic origin were observed, supporting a robust pattern of isolation-by-distance. In addition, we found that fruit set was positively correlated with photosynthesis-related parameters, which, however, do not explain alone the differences in accession susceptibility to fruit abortion. Our results demonstrated that, although the accessions belong to the same species, they exhibit considerable natural intraspecific variation with respect to physiological and metabolic parameters, presenting diverse adaptation mechanisms and being a highly interesting source of information for plant breeders. This study also represents the first study combining photosynthetic, primary metabolism and growth parameters for Capsicum to date.

Evaluation of green pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) juice on the weight gain and changes in lipid profile in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet

BACKGROUND

Capsicum pepper (green pepper, Capsicum annuum L.), a natural product available in many countries, is considered to be a food additive, with healthful or medical applications. The aim of this study was to evaluate green pepper juice for its potential to reduce weight gain and to determine its effects on lipid profiles in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet.

RESULTS

Mice given a high-fat diet with green pepper juice gained significantly less weight and showed a significant decrease in serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, low density lipoproteins, and alanine aminotransferase compared to mice given only a high-fat diet (P < 0.05). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and blood glucose levels (determined by using the intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test) in mice administered green pepper juice were similar to those in mice in the control group. In addition, abdominal fat volume (subcutaneous and visceral), which was quantified by using 4.7 T magnetic resonance imaging, including multi-slice spin-echo T2-weighted images, in mice administered a high-fat diet with green pepper juice tended to decrease compared to the fat volume of mice administered only a high-fat diet.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that green pepper juice, as a drink, may possibly be helpful in reducing weight gain by regulating the levels of serum lipids.

The potential antitumor effects of capsaicin

Capsaicin, one of the major pungent ingredients found in red peppers, has been recently demonstrated to induce apoptosis in many types of malignant cell lines including colon adenocarcinoma, pancreatic cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and many others. The mechanism whereby capsaicin induces apoptosis in cancer cells is not completely elucidated but involves intracellular calcium increase, reactive oxygen species generation, disruption of mitochondrial membrane transition potential, and activation of transcription factors such as NFkappaB and STATS. Recently, a role for the AMP-dependent kinase (AMPK) and autophagy pathways in capsaicin-triggered cell death has been proposed. In addition, capsaicin shows antitumor activity in vivo by reducing the growth of many tumors induced in mice. In this chapter, we report the last advances performed in the antitumor activity of capsaicin and review the main signaling pathways involved.