The Apoptotic and Antiproliferative Effects of Capsaicin in the Developmental Stages of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Induced in Hamsters

Background and aim Several epidemiological and experimental studies have approve that the vegetarian diet has an anticancer effect. Capsaicin is the active botanical ingredient found in red chili peppers. While the data strongly argue for the significant anticancer benefits of capsaicin, nevertheless, much information is required to shed light on the anticancer molecular mechanisms to improve knowledge and suggest potential therapeutic mechanisms for the use of capsaicin against cancer. This study aimed to investigate the effect of capsaicin on the rate of cell division and apoptosis in the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma induced in the buccal pouch of hamsters. Materials and methods The sample consisted of two groups; the first group consisted of 20 hamsters with the application of carcinogenic 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) in the buccal pouch (the control group) and the second group (the study group) also consisted of 20 hamsters with the application of DMBA in alternatively with capsaicin. Tissue biopsies were taken from experimental animals after sacrificing. The samples were immunostained for the detection of Ki-67 and Bcl-2 proteins. Results Immunohistochemical staining by monoclonal antibody to Ki-67 and Bcl-2 in the study group showed lower expression at all stages of oral cancer development compared with their expression in the control group. After performing the one-way (ANOVA) test, we found statistically significant differences by comparing the expression degree of Ki-67 and Bcl-2 proteins in both study groups, where the p-value was less than 0.05. Conclusion We conclude from the data of our study that capsaicin has an anti-cancer role in oral squamous cell carcinoma if applied in the digestive tract of experimental animals by inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells and activating apoptosis in them.