CAYENNE
Botanical: Capsicum annuum Family: Solanaceae (nightshade) Other common names: Chili Pepper, Capsicum, Red Pepper, Hot Pepper, Tabasco Pepper, Spur Pepper, Cherry Pepper

Cayenne is a pepper that warms and improves circulation to all parts of the body, easing the pain of arthritis, muscle spasms, stiff joints and cluster headaches. Included in many cuisines, the herb is a great aid for digestion and the relief of nausea, and it is also believed to regulate heart and blood pressure and even improve athletic performance!  Cayenne is called a "catalyst" herb that increases the efficacy of almost every other herb or herbal combination. Recent studies promise interesting developments in the area of cancer research, particularly for prostate cancer; hopefully, clinical trials will prove effective.

History:
Cayenne is a very hot pepper that is native to tropical and sub-tropical zones of Latin America and southern Asia. It is a perennial shrub when grown in its native lands, but being frost-sensitive, it is an annual when cultivated outside tropical zones. It is a tender shrub with branched stems, simple, ovate leaves and white-to-green flowers that are followed by pungent fruits. The plant generally reaches a height of two to six feet and thrives in rich, well-drained soil in sun, at a minimum of sixty-four degrees Fahrenheit. Cayenne has been cultivated for thousands of years in tropical Americas, Africa, and India, but legend says that Columbus seems to have been the first European to take conscious note of food flavored with this pungent herb and introduced it to Europe upon his return from the New World.  Others say it was introduced into England from India in 1548. Archaeologists have found remains of chilies in Mexican sites dating from 7000 B.C., and these hot peppers played an important role in Aztec and Mayan mythology. They are still a mainstay in Latin American and American Southwestern cuisine, but have also been adopted into cuisines around the globe. Cayenne is a member of the Capsicum genus that also includes red and bell Peppers, pimento, paprika and tabasco peppers (among others). Capsicum peppers vary greatly in the amount of heat and are actually categorized from anywhere between 0 to 300,000 scovile units with green peppers at 0, while the hottest, the habaneras, weigh in at 300,000. Cayenne's botanical genus, Capsicum, is derived from the Greek word "to bite," and it is aptly known as the "plant that bites back."  Although Cayenne is frequently used in cooking, its medicinal history is long. Cayenne has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. Cherokee Indians in North America used it as a stimulant, and the Navajo people used it for weaning children. It is rich in nutrients, a range of carotenes (especially beta-carotene), lutein, zeaxanthin, an alkaloid bitter, essential fatty acids, amino acids, folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, B-vitamins and Vitamins A, C and E. There is also an ingredient in Cayenne, called capsaicin, a pungent phenolic compound that is structurally similar to eugenol, the pain-relieving compound found in cloves and some other spices, and it also the focus of a great deal of new research in the area of prostate cancer (read below).

Beneficial Uses:
Cayenne is an overall digestive aid that stimulates the production of gastric juices, clears excess mucus from the stomach, helps to alleviate stomach ulcers from within, improves the appetite and relieves nausea from seasickness. It is also used as a carminative that helps to relieve gas.

Cayenne relieves pain (taken both internally and applied topically).  It provides natural heat, and its ingredient, capsaicin, is a strong pain-relieving agent that alleviates the joint pain of arthritis, rheumatism, muscle spasms, cramps and bowel pain. In addition, Cayenne is believed to trigger the release of endorphins by the brain, chemicals that relieve pain that may be helpful in treating cluster headaches.

Cayenne is considered a powerful stimulant that boosts metabolism, helps to enhance athletic performance and is valuable in treating prostration.

As a cardiovascular stimulant, Cayenne is believed to help regulate the heart and blood pressure. It is said to improve blood circulation and is thought to normalize both high and low blood pressure. It apparently increases heart action without increasing blood pressure, and Cayenne (Capsicum) reportedly significantly lowers serum cholesterol and triglycerides.

Cayenne is said to speed up the metabolism of fat and may reduce weight gain due to a high fat diet by increasing the liver enzymes accountable for fat metabolism, and decrease fat deposits in the liver caused by high fat diet.

There are interesting developments on the horizon regarding the use of the capsaisin in Cayenne in the area of cancer treatments. In the March, 2006, issue of Cancer Research, Dr. Phillip Koeffler, director of hematology and oncology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and a professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, reported that capsaicin caused almost eighty percent of prostate cancer cells in mice to die. In addition, prostate cancer tumors treated with capsaicin were about one-fifth the size of tumors in untreated mice. "Capsaicin inhibits the growth of human prostate cancer cell in Petri dishes and mice," said Dr. Koeffler, and based on the findings, Koeffler believe the next step is a trial to see if it works in patients with prostate cancer. "Capsaicin probably has several effects," Koeffler said. Most noticeable is its effect in blocking NF-kappa Beta, a molecular mechanism that promotes cancer cell growth, he noted."  In addition, capsaicin also was effective against leukemia, and might be effective in slowing or preventing the growth of other cancers as well," he added.  "This study does not prove that capsaicin will prove effective in the treatment of prostate cancer in humans," said Dr. David L. Katz, an associate professor of public health and director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine. "Nor does it tell us that eating peppers rich in the substance will help prevent such cancer, or forestall its growth. But it provides a compelling argument for clinical study of capsaicin in human prostate cancer to put these questions to the test."

Cayenne is considered to be an anti-inflammatory and may ease aspirin-induced upset stomach and damage due to alcohol.

As an astringent, Cayenne is said to be useful in the treatment of diarrhea and may arrest bleeding from ulcers.

Cayenne is an overall tonic that is believed to build up resistance to illness, sore throats, sinus infections and colds.

Cayenne is called a "carrier" or "catalyst" herb that increases the efficacy of almost every other herb or herbal combination.

Cayenne is particularly rich in lutein and beta carotene, two substances that are thought to be beneficial to good eye health. Lutein is a carotenoid that is found in many fruits and vegetables, and researchers have found that this nutrient may significantly decrease the risk of developing macular degeneration of the eyes.

Cayenne is believed to counter shock, and when the powder or extract is placed on or under the tongue, it has been said to help alleviate crisis situations such as shock, hemorrhage, and heart attack.

**Provided itself beneficial in research that involved people, endorsed by Germany’s Commission E for Therapeutic use, Arthritis, Cramps, Menstrual Pain, Muscle Pain, Pain

*Provided itself beneficial in research that did not involve people, the study could have been done in a test tube, petri dish or animals for Therapeutic use, Alcoholism, Backache, Bursitis, Chickenpox, Cluster and other Headaches, Colds, Colic,  Diabetes, Diabetic Neuropathy, Gas, Hardening of the Arteries, Heart Disease, High Cholesterol, High Triglycerides, Indigestion, Lack of Appetite, Lumbago, Lung Problems, Nerve Pain, Pain, Shingles, Sore Throat, Sprains, Strains, Stoke, Tennis Elbow, Thumb Sucking, Varicose Veins.

Infusion: 1/2 tsp powdered cayenne added to cup water, just off the boil; remove 1 Tbsp and place in another cup, then add a cup of warm water; taken in sips.
Combine: 2 Tbsp Cayenne, 1 tsp salt, 1C water, 1C vinegar, simmered 1 hr, strain, 1 Tbsp every 1/2 hr for severe cases/milder cases diluted form. For scarlet fever and feverish illnesses, flu
Tonic: 1/4 tsp cayenne 3x’s a day, for heart and circulation problems and as a preventative for strokes, colds, flu, headaches, indigestion and arthritis.
Tincture: 3 -5 drops in a cup of water as a circulatory stimulant and tonic; also as a gargle.
Oil: used as a massage oil for rheumatism, lumbago, and arthritis.
Salve: for increase blood flow to arthritic and rheumatic problem, applied for pleuritis and pericarditis, shingles, diabetic, nerve damage, psoriasis and post-op pain.
Poultice: 4 Tbsp cayenne, 2 C bran, and enough hot water to make a spreadable paste, then placed between 2 layers of cheesecloth,  for chest and lung congestion, chronic fatigue with the poultice placed over the kidneys and lower back and kept covered with a warm towel.
Foot Soak: For stroke place feet in a hot bath with mustard and 1/2 tsp Cayenne.
Compress: Soak a cotton pad in an infusion; has been applied to rheumatic and arthritic pan, sprains and bruising.

Contraindications:  
When taking therapeutic doses of Cayenne Pepper or excessive use may result in gastro-intestinal upset.


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Disclaimer: The information presented herein by Organic Herbs Medicine Cabinet is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.