Capsaicin
COMMON NAMES
Pepper Oil
EFFECTS CLASSIFICATIONS
Spice; Irritant; Topical Anaesthetic
CHEMICAL NAME
trans-8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide
DESCRIPTION
Capsaicin is found in chile or pepper plants of the Capsicum genus. It causes the burning sensation associated with spicy foods by stimulating vanilloid nerve receptors. Capsaicin is used in "Pepper Spray" as a weapon. It has a number of potential medical uses including topical use on "fever blisters", topical use on certain types of nerve damage, internally as a cancer-fighting agent, and as part of a treatment for osteoarthritis.
GENERAL INFORMATION #
Hot Chiles: Surfing the Burn, by Earth and Fire Erowid
RESEARCH & JOURNAL ARTICLES #
Capsaicin inhibits the growth of prostate cancer cells - Cancer Res, 2006
Repeated intranasal capsaicin applications to treat chronic migraine - Br J Anaesth, 2006
Effects of capsaicin on the stomach in humans - Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 2004
A fatal case of pepper poisoning - Forensic Sci Int, 2001
CHEMISTRY & PHARMACOLOGY #
Hydrogen sulphide: an endogenous stimulant of capsaicin-sensitive neurons? - Br J Pharmacol., 2004
EXPERIENCES #
I'm Burning, I'm Burning for You, by matthew90000
Consciousness Undulated, by Fer
Relief From Chronic Pain, by iliek2biek
OFF-SITE RESOURCES
SECONDARY RESOURCES #
The Scoville Scale - chilipepper.com
MEDICAL USE #
Chili Pepper Cocktail Blunts Pain - Scientific American, Oct 2007
PEPPER SPRAY WEAPONS #
MEDIA COVERAGE #
Hot chili pepper compound kills cancer without side effects - News Target, Jan 18, 2007
How spicy foods can kill cancers - BBC News, Jan 9, 2007
Could chilli peppers relieve pain? - BBC News, Jun 30, 2006
Using chili peppers to burn drug abusers - Harvard Gazette, Dec 21, 2004
Rating Hot Peppers: Mouth vs. Computer - NY Times, Nov 8, 1989
ARTICLES & WRITINGS #
What Makes Peppers Hot May Also Be Cool For What Ails You - Science Daily, Nov 4, 2003
Are birds immune to hot pepper? - Straight Dope, Nov 22, 2000