Capsaicin: TRPV1-independent mechanisms and novel therapeutic possibilities

Capsaicin (CAP) is a spice-derived substance of the genus Capsicum, which has high pungency and therapeutic potential. For many years, it has been considered only as an agonist of the transient receptor potential vanilloid member 1 (TRPV1), a member from the family of transient potential receptors (TRPs). Capsaicin can lead to a variety of effects on cells, acting in specific organelles, and promoting different responses. Such studies, however, point the capsaicin acting independently of the TRPV1 channel, being able to alter membrane fluidity, ion flux, and reactive oxygen species levels on cells. In this context, capsaicin has been used as a therapeutic alternative for the treatment of some diseases, such as disorders related to pain and inflammation. Further, researchers have investigated the involvement of capsaicin in cancer. Thus, this review aims to examine the ways that capsaicin can act on cells independently of the vanilloid receptor activation and demonstrate the therapeutic uses of capsaicin as an alternative tool for some disorders.