Talk:Capsaicin

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Contradictions found within article

At one point within the article, Capsaicin is described as an effective cancer remedy - Statistical evidence has been quoted in this article and is used to prove that countries with a high capsaicin intake have a lower incidence of cancer - Another example is a reference to studies peroformed on human model mice with induced prostate cancers. Capsaicin was proven to reduce the size of tumor in those mice... Yet, the closing statement of the article links capsaicin to stomach cancer??? Something doesn't make sense.

Surely it should be chilli peppers throughtout this article? Not Chile!

Yeah, that's correct, Chile is the country. I have a question as well - can eating chillies cause intestinal pain, or was that just me suffering food poisoning? 80.43.29.109 17:29, 18 July 2006 (UTC)

No, the term chilli denotes Chilli con Carne (Chile with Meat) or the mystery spice mixture used therein. Although Chile is a country, chile (e with accent grav) denotes the berries of any plant in the genus Capsicum.Sean 21:25, 16 October 2006 (PST) and 20:43, 17 October 2006 (PST)

There are any number of reasons you could have gotten intestinal pain. For medical advice, please refer to your general practitioner. Shinobu (talk) 07:25, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

How much capsaicin

How much capsaicin (i.e. from chilis) has to be eaten before ANY endorphins are released? Chiss Boy 18:01, 22 February 2007 (UTC)

Fatal Doses

isin't pure capsaicin enough to kill you?

• This is mentioned in the article. "In large quantities, capsaicin can be a lethal poison. Symptoms of overdose include difficulty breathing, blue skin, and convulsions." -- Wapcaplet 18:21, 18 Sep 2004 (UTC)

Yes, but pure capsaicin doesn't necessarily mean that it's deadly, just a large amount of it. If I were to put a small drop of pure capsiacin hot sauce, it should just be extremely painful and really really really hot. I don't know what the Scoville rating was for the hottest thing i've had, but it probably wasn't more than 100,000, and it was extremely hot (I'm no stranger to hot foods, and I was in a great deal of distress for at least five minutes, and even after it hurt like hell). With pure capsaicin being 15-16 million Scoville units, it would be painful, but probably not deadly unless you downed like 100ml of it. Note, though, that this is just my best educated guess. Someone should verify this by getting a culinary expert or a chemist/biochemist to give their two cents. Mk623SC20K 14:01, 14 November 2006 (UTC)

I know capsaicin is used as a pest repellent for, from two-legged to eight-legged pests(Ha Ha). And as Eurekalert says it also tells Prostate Cancer cells to cease reproducing themselves, but I haven't heard of anyone being killed just by eating capsaicin.Sean 20:58, 17 October 2006 (PST)

Toxicological Data on Ingredients: Capsaicin, Natural: ORAL (LD50): Acute: 47.2 mg/kg [Mouse (CAS no. 404-86-4)]. DERMAL (LD50): Acute: >512 mg/kg [Mouse].

The above line is from an MSDS sheet. It also says that serious overexposure can cause death, but calling it a poison is a bit strong, I think. I have edited the main article to reflect this. I have also removed the Indian Infanticide reference, since the only citation I can find on it is on other online encyclopedias (copyvio?). --Mdwyer 04:26, 25 November 2006 (UTC)

Endorphins

I was under the impression that the release of endorphins due to capsaicin exposure was fact, not theory.

Gardenweb

"When your body's nerves feel the pain induced by the chemical on these cells, they immediately start to transmit pain messages to your brain. Your brain receives these signals and responds by automatically releasing endorphins (the body's natural painkiller)."

Chileseeds

"Endorphins are a class of neurotransmitters produced by the body and used internally as a pain killer.

This class of compounds are similar in their action to opiates, attaching to some of the same receptors in the brain. They are a strong analgesic, and give a pervasive sense of happiness. They are proteins, and due to their many different types and their complexity, the release of endorphins lowers the blood pressure. Endorphins are best known to those who exercise a lot, and give rise to what is known as the 'runner's high'. Their release is caused by all pain, including that caused by chiles. Thus a dose of hot chiles will cause the release of these compounds, without any permanent harm."

I've seen this idea in many places, and it is expressed as a well known fact rather than theory. Where would I find information that suggests that it is only a theory?

Currently, the reference for endorphin release bc of capsaicin is a press release for a capsaicin nasal spray. Quick googling didn't turn up anything much better. We should find a source that is better for this claim. 140.247.240.170 00:47, 1 April 2007 (UTC)

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Removed using vodka as solution for burning. Light alcoholic beverages like beer may or may not work, I don't know. Liquors are guaranted to greatly increase the burning sensation - widening blood vessels, making absorption much easier. The amount removed by drinking vodka doesn't nearly make up for the effect caused by alcohol combined with capsaicin. (certain kinds of peppers in Bulgaria are forbidden to be served with alcohol for this very reason.)

In my experience, beer DOES work and is the next best thing to milk. I think the alcohol acts as a solvent. I do not know if hard liquor works though. I would recommend adding beer in if there is a citable source, and if there is controversy over it, mark it as controversial and let the readers decide. -Rolypolyman (talk) 03:19, 22 January 2008 (UTC)

Theoretically, any beverage containing ethanol would help relieve the burning sensation. This is based solely off the fact that capsaicin is very soluble in ethanol. Staying with that idea, hard liquor should work better than beer because there's more ethanol and less water, so it would solvate it better. Beer, in practice, might relieve the pain better by causing a different kind of mild pain from the carbonation, which might distract you from the burning. In reality though, this might not be as effective as the theory sounds. Alcohol burns by itself, so I agree with the first person that it would almost definately make things suck worse for you. Then there's the issue of attraction. Capsaicin has an affinity for the TRPV1 receptor due to the electrostatic and other intermolecular forces drawing them together. Water is polar and capsaicin is nonpolar, so the two aren't attracted enough to pull the cap. off the receptor to stop the burning (remember, like dissolves like). Ethanol is less polar than water, so the attraction between EtOH and cap. is significant enough to remove SOME of the cap. from the receptor. Milk helps the best because the casein contained in dairy acts as a surfactant/detergent, since it has both hydrophilic and -phobic areas. So what happens is the hydrophobic (nonpolar) area on casein attracts capsaicin and pulls it off the receptor, then the hydrophilic area on the casein molecule is drawn to the water in milk, so the whole complex gets washed away. Its the same principle that soap works on. I'm not going to look for a source to prove the beer thing, since its just a theory, but the casein principle is basic biochemistry and should be located pretty easily. As for me, I just keep a gallon jug of water handy and keep drinking til the burning subsides...as long as i'm drinking, i don't feel the pain, lol. peace. Ohnoitsthefuzz (talk) 23:38, 27 February 2008 (UTC)

Question of Wording

I wanted to post discussion about some wording in the article. The phrasng in quwstion is:

produces an illusion of burning in the mouth

I doesn't make too big of a difference to me, otherwise I would have altered it, but I think illusion isn't the appropriate word.

I think a more effective phrasing would be:

produces the sensation of burning in the mouth

I think this is more appropriate because illusion is something I more commonly associate with something visual.

I'm new at this, though ;).

(CloneArmyCommander 06:46, 15 November 2005 (UTC))

I agree with this and chose to change it as you said. (Be WP:BOLD!) And in this context, "illusion" seems to imply that it's convincing enough for people actually think their mouth is on fire, and need to be informed otherwise. (I think that's the point where they've overdone the hot sauce a little.) --Indium 10:35, 18 November 2005 (UTC)

69.160.28.71 04:27, 26 March 2006 (UTC) Hmm, I like the illusion phrasing, because it's clearer to me, but sensation *sounds* better. When you say illusion, I know it's a false sensation. But when you say the sensation of burning - OK, it this sensation because of some neurochemical reaction, and am I not actually being burnt, or am I feeling the sensation of burning because my tongue is getting a chemical burn?

I'd propose adding another line to clarify that no damage is actually occuring.

I think this is a semantics debate over the definition of the word "burning." The TRPV1 receptor is responsible for detecting the signal from both heat above 42 degrees C (about 108 F) and capsaicin. Detection of either sends an action potential from the neuron, which is interpreted as the same thing (with varying intensity). So whether you're being burned by chile peppers or hot coffee, it feels like "burning" no matter what. A hot iron will do the same thing, although it might feel different because of the greater amount of tissue damage. And yes, its true that no tissue damage occurs with capsaicin, unless there's something else to cause it...the feeling is caused by the nerve signal. Hope that helps! Ohnoitsthefuzz (talk) 23:45, 27 February 2008 (UTC)

Internal Inconsistency

Scoville scale states "15 Scoville units is equivalent to one part capsaicin per million." Logically, the maximum value on the scale can then only be 15 * 1 million parts per million = 15.000.000 SCU, no 16 million as the list states. If nobody objects, I'll change the value in the list.

Also see Talk:Scoville_scale#Internal_Inconsistency. --Matthias Bauer 13:10, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

The plot thickens - we seem to have no reliable references to show that 15SU = 1ppm, nor that pure Capsaicin is 16e6SU. Until we have a definite value I'm going to leave this edit war. It is quite plausible that someone made an error somewhere and that error has been copied all over the net.

Also see Talk:Scoville_scale#Pure Capsaicin.

njh 16:49, 22 January 2006 (UTC)

Scoville heat is not measurable precisely enough for the difference between 15 and 16 (or 15million and 16million) to be outside experimental error.129.97.79.144 17:23, 28 January 2007 (UTC)

would not suffer no ill effects?

reword: "would not suffer no ill effects"

drinking milk

To further back up the folk rememdy of drinking milk to alleviate the burning sensation brought on by Capsaicin, here's an interesting website on capsaicin and the other vanilloids:

http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/features/capsaicin.shtml

and here's a germane exerpt:

"One expects that the long hydrocarbon tail will make capsaicin less water soluble than vanillin. This is indeed the case. Capsaicin is insoluble in cold water, but freely soluble in alcohol and vegetable oils... For relief from a chile burn, drink milk. Milk contains casein, a lipophilic (fat-loving) substance that surrounds and washes away the fatty capsaicin molecules in much the same way that soap washes away grease."

It might be good to add something about Casein helping to wash away Capsaicin in the main article. Also, what about a page on the Vanilloids?

Agree about milk. I'm just going to add the quote and reference into the article. I'm surprised this poster didn't. Sometimes when editing articles, you must Be Bold! 71.184.105.86 (talk) 15:12, 8 February 2009 (UTC)

Possible Prostate Cancer treatment

Eurekalert - Pepper component hot enough to trigger suicide in prostate cancer cells

"Capsaicin, the stuff that turns up the heat in jalapeños, not only causes the tongue to burn, it also drives prostate cancer cells to kill themselves, according to studies published in the March 15 issue of Cancer Research."

"According to a team of researchers from the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, in collaboration with colleagues from UCLA, the pepper component caused human prostate cancer cells to undergo programmed cell death or apoptosis."

Biological reasoning

is Capsaicin as a neural irrtant a way to make fruits of an unriped stage not tasty to animals ? --Procrastinating@^talk2me 00:23, 22 March 2006 (UTC)

From what I understand, since many animals such as mammals are sensitive to capsaicin and others such as birds are not, it is inferred that the plant has evolved to repel animals that would eat and digest the fruit and seeds, but not the birds that would eat the seeds without digesting them and end up spreading the seeds wherever they excreted them. --Ed (Edgar181) 01:04, 6 April 2006 (UTC)

I have a question........ does any one know what component (e.g. hidrogen, oxigen, etc.) makes the molecule capsaicin hot?

It's really the overall structure that makes capsaicin hot, rather than individual elements such as hydrogen or oxygen. If you look at the table in the article, you can see that small changes in chemical structure can lead to large changes in Scoville heat units. --Ed (Edgar181) 01:00, 6 April 2006 (UTC)

To clarify the questions asked here, capsaicin is an irritant that is very effective in repelling annoying critters from eating your plants. as far as sensitivity goes, if it was an evolution issue on the part of the pepper plant, it wouldn't have happened quite like that. the plant would have evolved another defense mechanism to repel birds (by means of natural selection...the plant with the mutation that gives them a defense against birds lives, the one without gets eaten), but regardless, birds still have to get through the outside of the pepper to get to the seeds (which they do digest), so they'd be exposed to capsaicin anyway. what's actually the case is that mammals and most other animals have a TRPV1 receptor that has a binding site for capsaicin, so they experience a burning sensation when exposed to it. birds have a gene encoding for this same receptor, except it doesn't have a binding site for capsaicin. this change could be something as simple as one amino acid substitution or removal. it would be more likely that avian species evolved this mechanism because chili peppers were a major food source in their habitat, so the birds that couldn't eat them because of the heat starved to death and couldnt' pass on their genes...nature can be cruel. anyway, the next question about the thing that causes the heat: its correct that the structure of capsaicin is what makes it hot, but thats only because the structure allows the molecule to bind to the TRPV1 receptor on pain sensing neurons, which sends a signal to the brain, which returns a response sensation of burning. mice that have the gene for this receptor "knocked out," or removed, will not experience burning, no matter how much capsaicin you expose them to. if you could create a gene for the TRPV1 receptor so that when the neuron made the receptor, only molecules of vanillin (what gives vanilla its flavor) would activate it, every time you sat down with a pint of haagen-daaz vanilla ice cream, it would set your mouth ablaze. science is fun! and i'm spending way too much time on this page when i should be working! cheers guys, Ohnoitsthefuzz (talk) 00:27, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

Capsaicin high???

Where is the evidence to support this theory? I've never heard of this and couldn't find anything on Google.

From personal experience eating Habanero Chiles, I can tell you that: Yes, eating high-capsaicin containing foods does lead the body to release endorphins thereby giving a "Capsaicin High". (Of course, if your body's not used to Capsaicin you could get a nasty chemical burn on your tongue.) -- User:Sean 20:03, 16 October 2006 (PST)

I would say that in that case, no, you wouldn't get a chemical burn on your tongue - Capsaicin merely creates the sensation of such effects, reproducing the chemical reaction that nerve cells undergo to transmit pain due to heat. Thus, I'd say that while you may not get a chemical burn, you will indeed have a tender tongue, and a lot of pain. Also, I too, from personal experience, enjoy exposing my tastebuds to highly spicy foods, and it does indeed give you what you could term as a 'high'. Of course, this may vary from person to person, and for some things you probably won't find them anywhere on Google. Such as this. 60.234.132.245 09:55, 23 October 2006 (UTC)

I can attest that the high feels very much like that given by opium alkaloids, and as endorphins are just endogenous opioids it doesn't take a great leap of logic to see a connection. The same applies with the similarity of a "capsaicin high" and a "runners high" - both are the result of the same biochemical process. This research shows the effect in rats. This paper discusses the effects more broadly. This page does a similar job, albeit with a more guerilla feel. Finally, this press release brings it down to the lowest common denominator, giving a citable source to the guy on the street for the guy on the street (also explicitly tying in the "runners high" comparison). ◄ИΞШSΜΛЯΞ► 13:43, 4 November 2006 (UTC)

Heat–time curve?

From personal experience, the heat of different foods over time varries. I'd like to know why. For example, habanero peppers don't hit you instantly, but ramp up to an intense fire. Other spices are hot at first, but then die quickly. Is this due to the mixture of the capsaicinoids, to the physical characteristics of the food (e.g., hydrophobic or containing the spicy chemical in cells), or to something else? —Ben FrantzDale 02:01, 7 June 2006 (UTC)

I believe it is due do the percentage of the different capsaicinoids. User:Sean 20:49, 16 October 2006 (PST)

I don't know of any work on time intensity profiles of different capsaicinoids. That said, it is certainly plausible as different TRPV1 agonists like capsaicin, zingerone and piperine have different decay profiles in humans. http://chemse.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/29/1/53/BJH005F5 Jeh25 (talk) 14:16, 13 June 2008 (UTC)

Spiciness?

I've always wondered - What is the point in having 'spiciness' and 'spicy' redirect to this specific article? While it may have something to do with that, it should probably be noted that there are many different things that can cause the same sensation, and I have found not a place that explains how the sensation is induced because of these chemicals. Should there not be a seperate article named 'Spicy' or somesuch, and the like? I'm kind of new here, so bear with me here. Xander T. 10:04, 23 October 2006 (UTC)

You have a point. If you were to bite into a garlic clove, most people would call that spicy, but as far as I know there's no capsaicin in garlic. Then again, maybe that garlic feeling is just zingy or zesty or nippy. Or maybe these are all words to describe the same general sensation, I'm not sure.Mk623SC20K 14:09, 14 November 2006 (UTC)

Piperine and zingerone are also spicy, among many other substances. Spicy and Spiciness should definitely not redirect here; I've pointed them at Spice for now. —Keenan Pepper 20:24, 14 November 2006 (UTC)

Sugar?

I have read that sugar is the best remedy for capsaicin, better than dairy. Is this true? If so, should this be added to the article? Look at this site: http://www.theepicentre.com/Spices/chile.html 15:20, 2 Nopvember 2006 (CST)

The burning sensation will go away by itself. Use less pepper next time. Shinobu (talk) 07:42, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Influence on Diabetes

I removed the text below because it is not very encyclopedic. It needs to be copyedited and the second paragraph needs some citations. --Mdwyer 01:52, 3 January 2007 (UTC)

Suspecting a link between the nerves and diabetes, scientists at a Toronto hospital used an old experimental trick -- injecting capsaicin, the active ingredient in hot chili peppers, to kill the pancreatic sensory nerves in mice that had an equivalent of Type 1 diabetes.Almost immediately, the islets began producing insulin.It turns out the nerves secrete neuropeptides that are instrumental in the proper functioning of the islets.So next they injected the neuropeptide "substance P" in the pancreases of diabetic mice. The results were dramatic.The islet inflammation cleared up and the diabetes was gone. Some have remained in that state for as long as four months, with just one injection. [1]

The researchers SURMISED that the peppers destroyed pancreatic nerve cells. However, since UCLA has reduced the size of tumors 80% with capsaicin, AND tumors have 15 times as much fibrin around them as normal cells AND there is preliminary evidence that protein enzymes could reverse Type 1 diabetes, AND since protein enzymes are able to digest fibrin, THEN the mechanism of action of the capsaicin in diabetes comes into question. It looks like the capsaicin may very well be doing what it does with cancer cells...removes the fibrin.

Biosynthesis of capsaicin

Does anyone know how capsaicin is made in plants? What is the starting material? What enzymes are involved?

Well, as to how Capsaicinoids are made - not a clue - however I remember learning that the nearest naturally occuring chemical compound to Capsaicin is Vanillin. Unfortunately, I don't recall where I read this, otherwise I would add it in the article. Sean 0:15, 7 July 2007 (PST)

OK, I've found the article I was talking about above. It's at The vanilloid receptor and hypertension 72.193.101.189 (talk) 02:38, 10 June 2008 (UTC)Sean

Eating this stuff...

Would you be able to eat pure capsaicin?

Answer: Without dieing? yes, unless you eat more than 47.2 mg/kg. Without reacting? Probably no, but if you put a teaspoon of the stuff in your mouth, it has to go one of two ways(well actually one of three ways, but blowing pure capsaicin out through your nose is just to painful to think about), so if you've your mind set on it, you could probably swallow it. But you should apply a surface anesthesic ointment to your rectal area before defecating, as the undigested capsaicin will be painful on the thin skin in that area. -- Jackcall 03:24, 28 July 2007 (UTC)

Pure cap would severely blister your mouth. Absolutely do not do it. Skopp (Talk) 04:57, 28 July 2007 (UTC)

Thanks guys, I just wanted to know Wether you could or not. ;)

You could theoretically coat it in sugar and then swallow it as a pill. :-) It would be a pretty stupid thing to do though. Shinobu (talk) 07:14, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Birds eyes

Does Capsaicin irritate the eyes of birds? Ariel. 07:59, 2 August 2007 (UTC)

No. Birds lack the TRPV1 receptor. This is why mixing cayenne pepper with birdseed works as a squirrel deterrent - the squirrels find it aversive while the birds don't even notice. Jeh25 (talk) 14:18, 13 June 2008 (UTC)

Question - Computing concentration for Dermal Application as muscle warming agent

I am an R&D director at a company just getting into OTC pharmaceuticals. Does anyone know how to compute the concentration of capsaicin for use in an external ointment or gel (for purposes of muscle warming) if I am using 14% pure Oleoresin Capsicum. I am assuming that is 14% pure capsaicin and it is straightforward. ChuckChuckmmm2 13:46, 2 August 2007 (UTC)

irritant or inflammatory agent ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepper_spray states that capsaicin is an inflammatory agent, not irritant. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 84.87.98.224 (talk) 03:05, August 29, 2007 (UTC)

Pronunciation

The IPA currently given in the article is not a pronounceable English word. It needs to be amended. — Chameleon 00:52, 5 October 2007 (UTC)

Isn't it? I had no trouble and all the sounds appear to be native to English. Could you point out exactly what's wrong according to you? Shinobu (talk) 07:39, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Cancer

It has long been noted that in Thailand, where lots of spicy food is consumed, there is very low incidence of gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal and stomach cancers, compared to the rest of Asia, including Japan and China.[citation needed] Mexico also has low rates of the same cancers compared to the USA.[citation needed]

This is contrary to the chili peppers page where it states that they can cause cancer, would anyone object to me deleting this section? —Preceding unsigned comment added by DatDoo (talk • contribs) 00:18, 22 November 2007 (UTC)

This comment seems to confuse causation, correlation and coincidence, and indeed, should be removed. Maybe Thai just eat less carcinogens than the rest, the causes may be varied, but it's a bald assertion that capsaicin would be the anticarcinogen responsible for the difference. --Vuo (talk) 16:08, 13 June 2008 (UTC)

Use as a weightloss porduct?

Is a popular ingredient in "thermogenic" products, ie things meant to increase the metabolisation of bodyfat, such as Thermobol.

Thought there should be some mention of this if there's any literature on its effects as a fat burner.172.201.254.138 11:48, 1 December 2007 (UTC)

No, don't mention products here please. If you have a scientific reference, that's different. ► RATEL ◄ 13:01, 1 December 2007 (UTC)

Ouchy?

An anonymous editor seems to have replaced all instances of the word "burning" with the ord "ouchy". Is that even proper English? I'm not a native speaker, but it sounds like something you'd say to a three year old child. - Tournesol (talk) 19:07, 18 June 2008 (UTC)

Obvious juvenile vandalism. Shinobu (talk) 07:11, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Does it kill nerve endings?

According to Skeptics Guide #77 (MP3) capsaicin kills nerve endings. Is this true? If so, what dose would be needed to establish this effect? I haven't been able to confirm the effect personally, so it's probably not a big deal, but because the panel vehemently affirmed it while the article does't even mention it, I can't help but be very curious about it. Shinobu (talk) 07:22, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Nope. not correct.--Alnokta (talk) 12:39, 18 November 2008 (UTC)

It can temporarily disable nerve endings, providing a numbness. Interestingly, capsaicin containing cremes are effective aenesthetics for the sole of the foot, for example. This is a temporary effect, though. 71.184.105.86 (talk) 15:48, 8 February 2009 (UTC)

WikiProject Food and drink Tagging

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Food section and science

It says something like "the scoville scale can be used, but HPLC is preferred." In foods? Yeah, that's bs, nobody uses HPLC in the kitchen. Ever. Also, HPLC does wonders for identification, but does nothing for identifying relative spiciness. I'ma edit that. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.66.54.214 (talk) 23:24, 14 July 2008 (UTC)

An Apparent Inconsistency

In the Chemical Action section the article says that capsaicin causes no damage to tissue at all. Six lines later it says that capsaicin produces conjunctivitis. Doesn't that suggest tissue damage? HHHEB3 (talk) 13:53, 2 August 2008 (UTC)

Capsaicin activates pain nerves directly, like a key fitting a lock, and this produces irritation that provokes inflammation. Inflammation is a response by the body to irritation, not actual tissue damage. As noted in the article already, eating aspirin gives the same results as eating red pepper. This suggests minimal or no actual injury to tissue. --Vuo (talk) 15:55, 2 August 2008 (UTC)

Drug abuse and capsaicin, and anti-cancer properties.

I've been thinking about the paragraph(s) that says that you can deter drug abusers with capsaicin by putting it in the drugs, and about capsaicin having anti-cancer properties. I've been wondering, would using capsaicin to deter drug abusers have another positive affect for normal drug users by potentially preventing cancer? Vandalism destroyer (talk) 04:50, 10 September 2008 (UTC)

No. There is no evidence I know of that cap. prevents cancer. Otherwise people would be eating peppers like oat bran. And this idea of spiking pills with a pain-inducing poison is INSANE. Sure, everyone wants to punish drug addicts, but say some old lady bites her pill in half on accident? 76.105.183.62 (talk) 08:46, 7 November 2008 (UTC)

Agree about spiking pills, disagree about preventing cancer. For one thing, it may be that large amounts of capsaicin are needed for cancer prevention properties, which would deter people quite a bit. I vaguely remember reading that a steady diet of beef is usually correlated with high cancer rates, especially poorer quality cuts. However, this is part of the traditional diet in northern Mexico (better quality beef is exported), and its been hypothesized that the high-capsaicin peppers that are also part of the diet may mitigate the cancers. In these cases it would probably also be particular cancers, not cancer in general.

However, I don't think there's a whole lot of research done on high-capsaicin diets, more likely work might be found concentrating on a particular peppers like Jalapeños, that don't factor out other properties of the peppers (antioxidants, for example) 71.184.105.86 (talk) 15:44, 8 February 2009 (UTC)

How to say it

Will someone record and upload the word "Capsaicin" please?--Alnokta (talk) 12:43, 18 November 2008 (UTC)