* Please Note: This information is based partly on Traditional Medicine which uses natural materials to support health. This information has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor.
Description
Some like it hot - many do, in fact. That is why the numerous varieties of red-hot chile peppers are so popular as spices in cookery, as decorative objects in the pantry; even as the active ingredients in pepper sprays for self-defense. Commission E studied one type of red pepper, called paprika in German and French, also often called cayenne. (Actually, only pepper from the town of Cayenne, in French Guiana, is true cayenne.) Red peppers, native to South America, are grown in many parts of the world. Medicinal preparations are made from the dried fruits of various related species.
Potential Health Benefits
Commission E endorses paprika for external use, mainly to treat muscle pain in the shoulders, arms, and back. Many herbalists also use it internally to stimulate the appetite. Taken orally, red pepper opens up clogged mucous membranes and promotes perspiration, making it useful for treating colds and flu. Samuel Thomson (1769-1843), a popular 19th-century American health evangelist, used cayenne as a key ingredient in his Number 2 remedy, which was intended to effect cures by inducing sweating and purging.
Scientific Evidence
The active ingredient in paprika is capsaicin, which acts as a pain desensitizer. It knocks out what researchers have dubbed Substance P, a neurotransmitter compound that carries perception of pain to the spinal cord through the peripheral nerves.
A 1985 Canadian study endorsed the value of capsaicin as a counterirritant - a substance that induces minor, local pain when applied to the skin, so that the body temporarily focuses on that instead of a greater pain elsewhere.
A 1989 study published in the journal Environmental Nutrition showed that people suffering from cluster headaches who applied a capsaicin preparation inside and outside their noses noticed relief from pain within five days. All told, 75 percent of the test subjects reported at least some headache relief, pointing to another possible medicinal use of red pepper.
How to Use the Herb
Commission E recommends for external use: creams with 0.02 - 0.05 percent capsaicinoids, used 4 to 5 times per day; liquid preparations with 0.005-0.01 percent capsaicinoids; poultices containing 10-40 grams of capsaicinoids per square centimeter.
If you're using creams externally, don't use them for more than 2 days, and wait 14 days before using them again on the same part of the body.
User Group Forum
Share your questions and information with the ZooScape community!
Lim woo han - May 22, 2006, 04:46
#10000568
which is the best cayenne to use for indigestion and reflux? directions?
ZooScape Moderator - May 24, 2006, 10:52
#10000596
The potent, hot fruit of cayenne has been used as an herbal remedy for centuries. It was considered helpful by herbalists for various conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, including stomachaches, cramping pains, and gas. In a double-blind study of people with dyspepsia (heartburn), supplementation with 833 mg of cayenne powder in capsules, three times per day before meals, reduced heartburn symptoms by 48%, compared with a placebo. However, two of 15 individuals receiving cayenne discontinued it because of abdominal pain. While Cayenne would certainly help with indigestion and heartburn, I would not recommend it as being the best product to treat your Gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, we do carry several products such as Licorice Root, Marshmallow Root and Slippery Elm Bark that would all be suitable for treating both your indigestion and reflux condition.
Licorice Root is used to treat stomach and intestinal ulcers, lower acid levels and coat the stomach wall with a protective gel. Licorice, has been shown to be an effective treatment for the healing of stomach and duodenal ulcers; in an uncontrolled trial, licorice was effective as a treatment for aphthous ulcers (canker sores). A synthetic drug similar to an ingredient of licorice has been used as part of an effective therapy for GERD in both uncontrolled and double blind trials. In a comparison trial, this combination proved to be as effective as cimetidine (Tagamet), a common drug used to treat GERD.
Slippery Elm Bark is rich in nutrients and is easy to digest, making it an excellent food during times of digestive discomfort. Often used as a digestive tonic, Slippery Elm helps soothe the mucous membranes of the throat and the entire digestive tract. It's a popular herbal ingredient in natural throat and cough lozenges. In capsules, this herb makes a wonderful stomach-soother and digestive aid.
Anonymous - April 23, 2006, 15:57
#10000118
I am a first time user of cayenne capsules, I purchased a bottle of 500mg with a 80,000 heat unit, is this okay or should i not use it.Florence
ZooScape Moderator - April 25, 2006, 12:15
#10001283
Cayenne products come in various heat units and can, at times, be in excess of 90,000 heat units. We do not carry an 80,000 heat unit cayenne product so I cannot comment specifically on the product you purchased but I do not have any reason to believe that you should not use it. If you are still concerned about taking the product you purchased, may I suggest that you speak with your physician and I'm sure he or she will be able to resolve any concerns you may have.
People who are not used to cayenne just need to work their way up and should begin by taking cayenne in powder form. For those who have never used cayenne pepper before, a good initial dosage is 1/16th of a teaspoonful in some juice. Work your way up in dosage slowly. Put a small amount in some juice, stir and drink.
Cayenne (Capsicum annum) is a very useful antioxidant and circulatory tonic that helps to regulate blood flow and enhance cardiovascular health. Studies show that cayenne may lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels and reduce platelet aggregation. Not only is Cayenne well known for its benefit to the cardiovascular system, but it has been used with success to treat gastrointestinal problems, such as cramps, stomachaches and gas.
Directions
Take 1 capsule, 3 times daily, with meals.
Cautions
Excessive internal use can inflame membranes that line the stomach and intestines; harm to the kidneys is also possible.
If you have any digestive disorders, seek professional medical advice before use.
Red pepper is powerful medicine. Long-term external use can cause nerve damage. If you handle red peppers, be very careful not to rub your eyes or other sensitive areas and consider using rubber gloves.
Use vinegar (not water) to wash bare hands after handling red peppers. Don't use capsaicin creams on wounds or infections.
If you use red pepper internally, err on the side of caution until you determine the dose that's right for you. Red pepper has no known drug interactions.
Additional Information
TerraVita is an exclusive line of premium-quality, natural source products that use only the finest, purest and most potent ingredients found around the world. TerraVita is hallmarked by the highest possible standards of purity, potency, stability and freshness. All of our products are prepared with the highest elements of quality control, from raw materials through the entire manufacturing process, up to and including the moment that the bottles or bags are sealed for freshness and shipped out to you. Our highest possible standards are certified by independent laboratories and backed by our personal guarantee.
TerraVita exists to meet and ensure your family's health and wellness without the harmful effects or chemicals and prescription medications. We strive to make all of our products affordable and reliable and are constantly searching the market to maintain our affordability and to look for new ways to serve you and the ones you love. TerraVita has become a trusted household name for many families and can bring you and yours the very best herbal supplements, blends, teas and spices that are on the market today.
TerraVita is packed in childproof, tamper-proof pharmaceutical-grade recyclable containers.
ZooScape is proud to be the exclusive distributor of TerraVita teas, herbs and supplements in the United States, Canada and around the world. Please direct all wholesale and bulk inquiries to Simona Heather at 905-494-1785.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor. The essence of the current American rule on Traditional Uses is, as stated by FTC, "Claims based on historical or traditional use should be substantiated by confirming scientific evidence, or should be presented in such a way that consumers understand that the sole basis for the claim is a history of use of the product for a particular purpose."
