A substance found in hot peppers that are used worldwide in food may contribute to cancer growth, an international team of scientists who carried out laboratory tests said Monday.
The team led by Lee Ki-won, a biotechnology professor at Seoul's Konkuk University, said that capsaicin, the pungent substance that makes peppers hot when eaten, may activate cyclooxygenase-2 protein, which is related to tumor growth.
The tests carried out on mice showed that concentrations of capsaicin made some animals more susceptible to skin cancer.
Researchers, however, said that capsaicin did not cause skin cancer in all animals tested and that it may only play a role in tumor growth in certain cases.
Scientists from both South Korea and the United States said the findings, which are published as the cover story in the latest issue of U.S.-based Cancer Research, do not conclude that hot peppers are carcinogens.
"The research should not be taken out of context since it focused on capsaicin while peppers have other beneficial ingredients such as vitamin C and quercetin," Lee said.
The latest discovery comes as scientists are divided on the impact of hot peppers on health, with some previous tests showing the vegetable to suppress cancer growth, while others suggest they may act as a carcinogen.