title: Anti-tumor promoting potential of selected spice ingredients with antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities: a short review.
abstract: A wide variety of phenolic substances derived from spice possess potent antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic activities. Examples are curcumin, a yellow colouring agent, contained in turmeric (Curcuma longa L., Zingiberaceae), [6]-gingerol, a pungent ingredient present in ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Zingiberaceae) and capsaicin, a principal pungent principle of hot chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L, Solanaceae). The chemopreventive effects exerted by these phytochemicals are often associated with their antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. Cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) has been recognized as a molecular target of many chemopreventive as well as anti-inflammatory agents. Recent studies have shown that COX-2 is regulated by the eukaryotic transcription factor NF-kappaB. This short review summarizes the molecular mechanisms underlying chemopreventive effects of the aforementioned spice ingredients in terms of their effects on intracellular signaling cascades, particularly those involving NF-kappaB and mitogen-activated protein kinases.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, 151-742, Seoul, South Korea. surh@plaza.snu.ac.kr
authors.forename: Young-Joon
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Surh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016587:Antimutagenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002211:Capsaicin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002396:Catechols; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D005233:Fatty Alcohols / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009153:Mutagens / Q000494:pharmacology; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism; D017365:Spices / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D016587:Antimutagenic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D002396:Catechols; D005233:Fatty Alcohols; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009153:Mutagens; D016328:NF-kappa B; C007845:gingerol; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D003474:Curcumin; D002211:Capsaicin