Capsaicin, the compound, is the reason why chilli peppers are spicy and so hot! And capsaicin, other than containing pain-reducing properties has also tested positive as a drug to stop breast cancer cells from multiplying. Now, a new study we have come across gives us another benefit of capsaicin. The compound was used to develop a drug that successfully tackled obesity in mice, as part of a recent study conducted.
A team of researchers led by Dr Baskaran Thyagarajan, from the University of Wyoming School of Pharmacy in Laramie, designed metabocin--the drug that releases capsaicin--over the course of 24 hours. Dr. Thyagarajan and colleagues tested the effect of metabocin in mice. “The person who takes it will not feel the burning pain but will enjoy the effect of capsaicin for a longer time," says Thyagarajan.
"It proved safe and was well tolerated by the mice," says Baskaran Thyagarajan, lead investigator on the project. "Developing Metabocin as a potent anti-obesity treatment shows promise as part of a robust strategy for helping people struggling with obesity," Thyagarajan adds. Thyagarajan also notes that these clinically significant effects cannot be achieved by simply eating lots of spicy food. So wait, don't go rushing to that bottle of hot peppers just yet!
