Capsaicin - A Multifunctional Fighter

Capsaicin has the chemical name trans-8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenylamide. It is an extremely spicy vanillamide alkaloid in peppers. It has antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Moreover, it is widely used in food health care, medicine, planting, breeding, coatings industry and military fields, and has high application value.

It is a vanilloid alkaloid widely found in plants of the genus Capsicum in the Solanaceae family, especially in chili pepper. Annual or limited perennial; 40-80cm tall; stem branches slightly zigzag. Leaves are alternate, with the nodes at the top of the branches not elongated but twin or clustered, oblong-ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 4 to 13 cm long, 1.5 to 4 cm wide, gradually pointed at the top, narrowly cuneate at the base; petiole 4 to 7cm. The flowers are solitary and drooping; the calyx is cup-shaped with 5 inconspicuous teeth; the corolla is white with ovate lobes; the anthers are gray-purple. The fruit stalk is relatively thick and drooping; the fruit is long and finger-shaped, with a gradually pointed and often curved apex. It is green when immature and turns red, orange or purple when mature, and tastes spicy. The seeds are flat and kidney-shaped, 3 to 5 mm long, and light yellow. The flowering and fruiting period is from May to November.

Functional Applications of Capsaicin

1. Raw material for health care products

Capsaicin can stimulate the body's heat production system and speed up metabolism. Better promote the production of two enzymes in the body, reduce fat accumulation, and play a role in weight loss.

2. Food raw materials

Chili pepper is used as a food seasoning, but when chili pepper is eaten directly as a food ingredient, the bioavailability of capsaicin is not high, and it will continue to be released in the intestines, irritating the intestinal wall, causing abdominal discomfort and even anal burning pain, inducing hemorrhoid. Adding capsaicin as a food ingredient can effectively control the spiciness and ensure that capsaicin is well absorbed.

3. Medicinal raw materials

Capsaicin with higher purity has strong and lasting anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Oral administration can promote gastric juice secretion, increase appetite, relieve gastrointestinal flatulence, improve digestive function, and promote blood circulation; external use can relieve toothache, muscle pain, rheumatism, skin diseases and other diseases, and has a more significant effect on neuralgia. The ointment made from it has a significant effect on neuralgia caused by chronic rheumatoid arthritis, herpes zoster, traumatic injuries, etc.; it also has a good effect on psoriasis and baldness.

4. Chemical raw materials

Adding capsaicin during the production of insulation and sheath materials for wires and cables can effectively prevent animals such as rats and rabbits from gnawing on the cables, and it also has the effect of repelling and killing termites. Adding capsaicin to paint can effectively repel mosquitoes and reduce the attachment of microorganisms. Currently, capsaicin has been widely used in marine paints. Another important application of capsaicin is as the main raw material for tear gas in the military industry.