Capsaicin as a Microbiome Modulator: Metabolic Interactions and Implications for Host Health
<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Capsaicin is the principal pungent compound in chili peppers and is increasingly recognized as a multifunctional phytochemical with systemic effects beyond its sensory properties. It has been linked to metabolic regulation, neuroprotection, inflammation cont...
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2025-06-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/15/6/372 |
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| author | Iván Artemio Corral-Guerrero Angela Elena Martínez-Medina Litzy Yazmin Alvarado-Mata Ana Cristina Figueroa Chávez Roberto Muñoz-García Miriam Paulina Luévanos-Escareño Jazel Doménica Sosa-Martínez María José Castro-Alonso Padma Nimmakayala Umesh K. Reddy Nagamani Balagurusamy |
| author_facet | Iván Artemio Corral-Guerrero Angela Elena Martínez-Medina Litzy Yazmin Alvarado-Mata Ana Cristina Figueroa Chávez Roberto Muñoz-García Miriam Paulina Luévanos-Escareño Jazel Doménica Sosa-Martínez María José Castro-Alonso Padma Nimmakayala Umesh K. Reddy Nagamani Balagurusamy |
| author_sort | Iván Artemio Corral-Guerrero |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <b>Background/Objectives:</b> Capsaicin is the principal pungent compound in chili peppers and is increasingly recognized as a multifunctional phytochemical with systemic effects beyond its sensory properties. It has been linked to metabolic regulation, neuroprotection, inflammation control, and cancer modulation. This review aims to provide an integrative synthesis of capsaicin’s metabolism, its interaction with the gut microbiome, and its physiological implications across organ systems. <b>Methods:</b> We conducted a critical literature review of recent in vivo and in vitro studies exploring capsaicin’s metabolic fate, biotransformation by host enzymes and gut microbes, tissue distribution, and molecular pathways. The literature was analyzed thematically to cover gastrointestinal absorption, hepatic metabolism, microbiota interactions, and systemic cellular responses. <b>Results:</b> Capsaicin undergoes extensive hepatic metabolism, producing hydroxylated and dehydrogenated metabolites that differ in transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) receptor affinity and tissue-specific bioactivity. It crosses the blood–brain barrier, alters neurotransmitter levels, and accumulates in brain regions involved in cognition. In addition to its systemic effects, capsaicin appears to undergo microbial transformation and influences gut microbial composition, favoring short-chain fatty acid producers and suppressing pro-inflammatory taxa. These changes contribute to anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, and potentially anticancer effects. Dose-dependent adverse outcomes, such as epithelial damage or tumor promotion, have also been observed. <b>Conclusions:</b> Capsaicin represents a diet-derived bioactive molecule whose systemic impact is shaped by dynamic interactions between host metabolism and the gut microbiota. Clarifying its biotransformation pathways and context-specific effects is essential for its safe and effective use in metabolic and neurological health strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-eab565ded57548089f8e0699655e71f3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2218-1989 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Metabolites |
| spelling | doaj-art-eab565ded57548089f8e0699655e71f32025-08-20T03:27:15ZengMDPI AGMetabolites2218-19892025-06-0115637210.3390/metabo15060372Capsaicin as a Microbiome Modulator: Metabolic Interactions and Implications for Host HealthIván Artemio Corral-Guerrero0Angela Elena Martínez-Medina1Litzy Yazmin Alvarado-Mata2Ana Cristina Figueroa Chávez3Roberto Muñoz-García4Miriam Paulina Luévanos-Escareño5Jazel Doménica Sosa-Martínez6María José Castro-Alonso7Padma Nimmakayala8Umesh K. Reddy9Nagamani Balagurusamy10Laboratorio de Biorremediación, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Torreón 27000, MexicoLaboratorio de Biorremediación, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Torreón 27000, MexicoLaboratorio de Biorremediación, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Torreón 27000, MexicoLaboratorio de Biorremediación, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Torreón 27000, MexicoLaboratorio de Biorremediación, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Torreón 27000, MexicoLaboratorio de Biorremediación, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Torreón 27000, MexicoLaboratorio de Biorremediación, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Torreón 27000, MexicoLaboratorio de Biorremediación, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Torreón 27000, MexicoDepartment of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, Dunbar, WV 25112-1000, USADepartment of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, Dunbar, WV 25112-1000, USALaboratorio de Biorremediación, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Torreón 27000, Mexico<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Capsaicin is the principal pungent compound in chili peppers and is increasingly recognized as a multifunctional phytochemical with systemic effects beyond its sensory properties. It has been linked to metabolic regulation, neuroprotection, inflammation control, and cancer modulation. This review aims to provide an integrative synthesis of capsaicin’s metabolism, its interaction with the gut microbiome, and its physiological implications across organ systems. <b>Methods:</b> We conducted a critical literature review of recent in vivo and in vitro studies exploring capsaicin’s metabolic fate, biotransformation by host enzymes and gut microbes, tissue distribution, and molecular pathways. The literature was analyzed thematically to cover gastrointestinal absorption, hepatic metabolism, microbiota interactions, and systemic cellular responses. <b>Results:</b> Capsaicin undergoes extensive hepatic metabolism, producing hydroxylated and dehydrogenated metabolites that differ in transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) receptor affinity and tissue-specific bioactivity. It crosses the blood–brain barrier, alters neurotransmitter levels, and accumulates in brain regions involved in cognition. In addition to its systemic effects, capsaicin appears to undergo microbial transformation and influences gut microbial composition, favoring short-chain fatty acid producers and suppressing pro-inflammatory taxa. These changes contribute to anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, and potentially anticancer effects. Dose-dependent adverse outcomes, such as epithelial damage or tumor promotion, have also been observed. <b>Conclusions:</b> Capsaicin represents a diet-derived bioactive molecule whose systemic impact is shaped by dynamic interactions between host metabolism and the gut microbiota. Clarifying its biotransformation pathways and context-specific effects is essential for its safe and effective use in metabolic and neurological health strategies.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/15/6/372capsaicinmicrobiotahost–microbiome interactionsnutritional modulation |
| spellingShingle | Iván Artemio Corral-Guerrero Angela Elena Martínez-Medina Litzy Yazmin Alvarado-Mata Ana Cristina Figueroa Chávez Roberto Muñoz-García Miriam Paulina Luévanos-Escareño Jazel Doménica Sosa-Martínez María José Castro-Alonso Padma Nimmakayala Umesh K. Reddy Nagamani Balagurusamy Capsaicin as a Microbiome Modulator: Metabolic Interactions and Implications for Host Health Metabolites capsaicin microbiota host–microbiome interactions nutritional modulation |
| title | Capsaicin as a Microbiome Modulator: Metabolic Interactions and Implications for Host Health |
| title_full | Capsaicin as a Microbiome Modulator: Metabolic Interactions and Implications for Host Health |
| title_fullStr | Capsaicin as a Microbiome Modulator: Metabolic Interactions and Implications for Host Health |
| title_full_unstemmed | Capsaicin as a Microbiome Modulator: Metabolic Interactions and Implications for Host Health |
| title_short | Capsaicin as a Microbiome Modulator: Metabolic Interactions and Implications for Host Health |
| title_sort | capsaicin as a microbiome modulator metabolic interactions and implications for host health |
| topic | capsaicin microbiota host–microbiome interactions nutritional modulation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/15/6/372 |
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