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Abstract
A wide variety of phenolic substances derived from spice possess potent antimutagenic
and anticarcinogenic activities. Examples are curcumin, a yellow colouring agent,
contained in turmeric (Curcuma longa L., Zingiberaceae), [6]-gingerol, a pungent ingredient
present in ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Zingiberaceae) and capsaicin, a principal
pungent principle of hot chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L, Solanaceae). The chemopreventive
effects exerted by these phytochemicals are often associated with their antioxidative
and anti-inflammatory activities. Cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) has been recognized as
a molecular target of many chemopreventive as well as anti-inflammatory agents. Recent
studies have shown that COX-2 is regulated by the eukaryotic transcription factor
NF-kappaB. This short review summarizes the molecular mechanisms underlying chemopreventive
effects of the aforementioned spice ingredients in terms of their effects on intracellular
signaling cascades, particularly those involving NF-kappaB and mitogen-activated protein
kinases.