Examining Piperine's Potential for Cancer Chemoprevention

Cancer is a major global health issue that raises morbidity and death rates everywhere. It is distinguished by the unchecked growth, survival, and dissemination of cancerous cells. Complex genetic, molecular, and metabolic changes that facilitate the conversion of healthy cells to malignant cells characterize the multi-stage process of cancer formation. Cancer chemoprevention, which uses pharmaceutically active drugs to stop, slow, postpone, or reverse the progression of cancer at various stages, is one of the innovative ways needed to treat this complex illness. Black pepper (Piper nigrum) contains piperine, a naturally occurring alkaloid that has garnered a lot of attention due to its several therapeutic applications, which include immunomodulatory, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Piperine can inhibit important signaling pathways and molecular processes associated with carcinogenesis, including inflammation, oxidative stress, and the control of apoptosis. These processes are all essential for the development, progression, and spread of cancer. It has been demonstrated that piperine dramatically modulates many pathways, such as MAPK, PI3K/Akt, STAT3, and NF-κB, which are frequently dysregulated in various cancer types. Piperine has shown promise in enhancing the therapeutic effectiveness of traditional cancer treatments by increasing the sensitivity of cancer cells to UV phototherapy and TRAIL-based treatments and reducing resistance. Synergistic effects with chemotherapeutic medications may result in combination therapy that improves clinical results. This review assesses the potential effects, and long-term safety of drugs based on piperine, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive preclinical and clinical research to confirm the drugs' safety profile and therapeutic efficacy.