Cayenne Pepper...Medicine That's Nothing to Sneeze At!

Folklore/Common Names: African Pepper. Chillies, Bird Pepper, Red Bird Pepper, Cockspur Pepper, Goat's Pepper, Paprika (mild form)

Parts Used: Fruit, ripened and dried.

Historical Reference

While we know that Cayenne, or Capsicum, takes its name aptly from the Greek meaning 'to bite', ancient cultures where one would almost expect to find Cayenne - such as Chinese, Latin, or Hebrew references - show no recorded reference to Cayenne at all until the late 15th Century when Columbus took note of the pungent flavoring of certain foods he'd sampled in India. It was certainly cultivated in the tropical Americas as well, and into some parts of Africa. A popular spice along trade routes, Western Europe did not see its cultivation until the sixteenth century, and one notable species, Cayenne frutescens, finally appeared in Millers Garden Dictionary as late as 1771.

Medicinal Use:

Constituents: Capsaicin, oleic, palmitic and stearic acids.

Cautions: While Cayenne is safe in normal moderate amounts, those with intestinal disorders such as ulcers or chronic bowel disease should be careful using Cayenne. Excessive use of Cayenne can cause severe stomach upset and overdose is possible in large amounts.

It may be hard to imagine something with the stinging hot sensation of Cayenne Pepper could have such a soothing effect, but Herbalists have been using Cayenne to sooth a multitude of ailments for hundreds of years, including but not limited to:

• Fever - take in capsule form followed by a glass of water.
• Cold - one or two doses of the powder taken in warm water. Try the same for a hangover!
• Sore Throat - use a Cayenne infusion/tea as a gargle
• Stomach Upset and Gas - Added as a spice or taken as a tea, Cayenne aids the digestive system by stimulating the production of gastric juices
• Diarrhea
• Asthma and Bronchitis
• Toothache - Clean out the tooth cavity, then take a small piece of cotton, saturated with Cayenne oil, and press into the cavity. It will burn for a second, then provide long lasting relief from the original pain.
• Loss of appetite
• Alcoholism - Grieve tells us in A Modern Herbal, "For persons addicted to drink it seems to be useful possibly by reducing the dilated blood-vessels and thus relieving chronic congestion." Some sources say it also reduces the craving for alcohol.
• Seasickness
• Rheumatism, arthritis and joint pain, muscle aches
• Inflammation, sores, wounds
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