Black pepper compound increases effectiveness of Taxol in HER2+ BC

Posted: May 31, 2013

Study:	Antitumor efficacy of piperine in the treatment of human HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells Cite Do MT, Kim HG, Choi JH, Khanal T, Park BH, Tran TP, et al. Antitumor efficacy of piperine in the treatment of human HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells. Food Chemistry. Elsevier BV; 2013; 141:2591-2599 10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.04.125
Publication:	Food Chemistry, May 2013

Black pepper increases effectiveness of Taxol

The spiciness of black pepper is largely a result of its piperine content. Piperine has been shown to significantly increase the bioavailability of selenium and beta-carotene, among other nutrients, and to mitigate the harmful effects of cadmium exposure. Piperine and related compounds have been shown to reduce cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis in breast cancer cells.

Piperine enhances the anti-cancer effects of curcumin (the most biologically active component of turmeric). Furthermore, piperine has been shown to enhance the bioavailability of several chemotherapy drugs used to treat breast cancer, including Adriamycin (doxorubicin), Taxotere (docetaxel) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). In fact, piperine has been shown to increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs in cancer cells with multidrug resistance (which reduces the effectiveness of chemotherapy immediately in a few patients or over time in most others). For example, piperine has been found to increase the cytotoxicity of Adriamycin in drug resistant hormone receptor positive (ER+/PR+) breast cancer cells.

Now a new study has reported that piperine increases the cell-killing effects of Taxol (paclitaxel) in HER2 overexpressing (HER2+) breast cancer cells.

Latest research finds piperine increases effectiveness of Taxol in HER2+ cells

The study referenced at the beginning of this news story was designed to investigate the molecular mechanisms by which piperine exerts anti-cancer effects in HER2+ breast cancer cells. The authors demonstrated that piperine strongly inhibited proliferation and induced programmed cell death (apoptosis) as a result of caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage.

In addition, piperine reduced HER2 gene expression, resulting in a reduction in migration. Finally, the authors showed that pretreatment with piperine enhanced sensitization to Taxol, thereby increasing the death of HER2+ breast cancer cells. The authors conclude that piperine may have a potential role in the prevention and treatment of human HER2+ breast cancer.

Please see our articles on black pepper, Taxol and breast cancer diet for HER2+ patients and survivors for more information.

Selected breast cancer studies

Effects of Piperine, Cinnamic Acid and Gallic Acid on Rosuvastatin Pharmacokinetics in Rats Cite
Basu S, Jana S, Patel VB, Patel H. Effects of Piperine, Cinnamic Acid and Gallic Acid on Rosuvastatin Pharmacokinetics in Rats. Phytotherapy Research. Wiley; 2012;:n/a-n/a 10.1002/ptr.4894
Piperine, a dietary phytochemical, inhibits angiogenesis Cite
Doucette CD, Hilchie AL, Liwski R, Hoskin DW. Piperine, a dietary phytochemical, inhibits angiogenesis. The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. Elsevier BV; 2013; 24:231-239 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2012.05.009
A plausible explanation for enhanced bioavailability of P-gp substrates in presence of piperine: simulation for next generation of P-gp inhibitors Cite
Singh DV, Godbole MM, Misra K. A plausible explanation for enhanced bioavailability of P-gp substrates in presence of piperine: simulation for next generation of P-gp inhibitors. Journal of Molecular Modeling. Springer Science and Business Media LLC; 2012; 19:227-238 10.1007/s00894-012-1535-8
Piperine inhibits PMA-induced cyclooxygenase-2 expression through downregulating NF-κB, C/EBP and AP-1 signaling pathways in murine macrophages Cite
Kim HG, Han EH, Jang W, Choi JH, Khanal T, Park BH, et al. Piperine inhibits PMA-induced cyclooxygenase-2 expression through downregulating NF-κB, C/EBP and AP-1 signaling pathways in murine macrophages. Food and Chemical Toxicology. Elsevier BV; 2012; 50:2342-2348 10.1016/j.fct.2012.04.024
Piperine suppresses tumor growth and metastasis in vitro and in vivo in a 4T1 murine breast cancer model Cite
Lai L, Fu Q, Liu Y, Jiang K, Guo Q, Chen Q, et al. Piperine suppresses tumor growth and metastasis in vitro and in vivo in a 4T1 murine breast cancer model. Acta Pharmacologica Sinica. Springer Science and Business Media LLC; 2012; 33:523-530 10.1038/aps.2011.209
Piperine, a piperidine alkaloid from Piper nigrum re-sensitizes P-gp, MRP1 and BCRP dependent multidrug resistant cancer cells Cite
Li S, Lei Y, Jia Y, Li N, Wink M, Ma Y. Piperine, a piperidine alkaloid from Piper nigrum re-sensitizes P-gp, MRP1 and BCRP dependent multidrug resistant cancer cells. Phytomedicine. Elsevier BV; 2011; 19:83-87 10.1016/j.phymed.2011.06.031
Targeting breast stem cells with the cancer preventive compounds curcumin and piperine Cite
Kakarala M, Brenner DE, Korkaya H, Cheng C, Tazi K, Ginestier C, et al. Targeting breast stem cells with the cancer preventive compounds curcumin and piperine. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. Springer Science and Business Media LLC; 2009; 122:777-785 10.1007/s10549-009-0612-x
Comparative analysis of the in vitro antioxidant activity of white and black pepper Cite
Agbor GA, Vinson JA, Oben JE, Ngogang JY. Comparative analysis of the in vitro antioxidant activity of white and black pepper. Nutrition Research. Elsevier BV; 2006; 26:659-663 10.1016/j.nutres.2006.09.019

Latest research finds piperine increases effectiveness of Taxol in HER2+ cells

Selected breast cancer studies

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