Effect of Dietary Capsaicin on Hepatic Drug-Metabolizing Enzyme Activities in Mice

The effect of dietary capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide, CAP) on drug-metabolizing enzyme activities was investigated in mice. Male ICR mice were divided into 4 groups and fed diets containing 0, 5, 20, 100 ppm CAP for 4 seeks. Hepatic drug-metabolizing enzyme activities and serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate transaminease activities were measured. There was no difference in hepatic alanine aminotransferse and aspartate transaminase activities among the groups. Hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450 in CAP fed groups, but p-nitrophenol hydroxylase and the cytosolic acitivity of glutathione S-transferase activities were decreased in the dietary CAP supplemetned groups compared to the control. These results suggest that the dietary CAP at a low dose differentially modulates drug-metabolizing enzyme acitvities without causing hepatic toxicity.