What cellular process does capsaicin potentially induce within tumor cells while sparing healthy cells?
Answer
Apoptosis (programmed cell suicide)
One significant area of investigation regarding capsaicin's therapeutic potential involves oncology. Scientists have observed that this phytochemical may possess the ability to trigger apoptosis, which is the natural, programmed process of cell suicide that occurs within an organism. Crucially, research indicates that capsaicin may selectively induce this process within malignant tumor cells. This selective action means that the cancer cells are signaled to die off without harming the surrounding healthy cells. This effect has been specifically demonstrated in studies involving human breast cancer cells and leukemia cancer cells, generating hope for broader applications across different forms of cancer.
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