Potential of Capsaicin against Advanced Glycation Endproducts Formation

There is considerable interest in the discovery and investigation of more potent anti-AGEs compounds to prevent and treat diseases involving glycative stress. Important attributes of an ideal inhibitor involve ease of obtainment, absorption and excretion, zero toxicity, and the absence of serious side effects. Naturally occurring phytochemicals should therefore be the ideal candidates for diabetes supplementation. The present research plan aimed to screen a series of phytochemicals, such as capsaicin, to evaluate their effects on protein glycation and subsequent AGEs formation in vitro and in vivo, with a hope to find promising candidates for AGEs inhibitors for further investigation. In the first year’s plan, to monitor protective capsaicin against glycation mediated oxidative damage on the different stage (early, middle and late) of protein glycation will be studied. In the second year’s plan, we utilized monocyte cultures to assess whether capsaicin alleviate the oxidative stress and inflammation in response to AGEs stimulation. Furthermore, the in vivo verification of antiglycation, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory capacities were examined by 12-weeks administration of capsaicin in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. The overall plan expects to realize whether natural capsaicin reduces glycation, oxidative damage and inflammation observed in the model of diabetic hyperglycaemia. The present plan provides better understanding of the antiglycation potential of capsaicin and its protective effects and possible mechanisms against glycotoxins-evoked deleterious responses in biological systems. As capsaicin in a similar fashion as aminoguanidine, the first AGEs inhibitor explored in clinical trials, it shows great potential to be developed as an agent to alleviate diabetic complications.