Cayenne
Parts Usually Used
Fruits
Description of Plant(s) and Culture
A very hot pepper, cayenne is a perennial plant in its native tropical America but is annual when cultivated outside tropical zones. Growing to a height of 3 feet or more, its glabrous stem is woody at the bottom and branched near the top. The leaves are ovate to lanceolate, entire, and petioled. The drooping, white to yellow glowers grow alone or in pairs or threes between April and September.
The ripe fruit, or pepper, is a many-seeded pod with a leathery outside in various shades of red or yellow. Cayenne pepper (capsicum frutescens, var. longum) comes from the ground, dried ripe red pepper pods of a small tropical shrub. This ground red pepper, combined with yeast and flour, is baked into a hard cake, which is then ground into the finished spice. Used in curries and chili powders; in small amounts added to bland foods like eggs and cream sauce.
It has no odor and its taste is hot and acrid. Paprika (capsicum frutescens) comes from the cayenne pepper. Different varieties of paprika vary in quality and pungency; some of the best come from Hungary. Uses include: goulashes, and to add color and flavor to many bland, savory dishes. Other varieties: Long red cayenne (C. annum), also called Manchi-phalam in Sanskrit; Jalapeno, Anaheim, Hungarian Wax, Purple Venuzuetan.
Where Found
From the Greek kapto, “I bite”, capsicum is a biting plant. The best comes from Africa, Asia, and South America. It is produced in good quality in the Southern States, especially those that lie beyond the southern line of Tennessee. Grow in West Indies, Hungary, East Indies, Central America.
Medicinal Properties
Appetizer, antiseptic, febrifuge, antibacterial, carminative, diaphoretic, rubefacient, condiment, nerve tonic, digestive, irritant, sialagogue (stimulates secretion of saliva), stimulant, and tonic
Biochemical Information
Alkaloids, apsaicine, capsacutin, capsaicin, capsanthine, capsico PABA, fatty acids, flavonoids, sugars, carotene, volatile oil, and vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, and C
Legends, Myths and Stories
Native to northeastern coastal areas of South America, these red hot peppers have been used in folk medicine since 7,000 BC. The hot red cayenne chili arrived in the West from India in 1548 and was known as Ginnie pepper. Gerard describes it as “extreme hot and dry, even in the fourth degree,” and he recommended it for a skin infection commonly known then as the King’s Evil. Cayenne was popular with the 19th century physiomedicalists who used its warming properties for chills, rheumatism, and depression.
The Herbalist Almanac states that if paprika is fed to yellow canary birds, their plumage turns red. Paprika also improves the coloration of hatchery reared trout. It is also called pimiento; but should not be confused with allspice, also called pimento. (Note difference in spelling). Contrary to popular belief, hot, spicy food may actually be good for your health; if it contains liberal amounts of cayenne, also known as capsicum.
Cayenne is also very nutritious; peppers in general contain iron, phosphorous, calcium, B-complex and more vitamin C than oranges. According to Dr. Irwin Ziment of the UCLA School of Medicine, the hot, stinging sensation that follows biting into a chili pepper triggers the release of endorphins by the brain, chemicals that relieve pain and can cause a mild euphoria. Elevated triglycerides (over 190 mg) are a major risk factor for heart disease in women.
The 1987 study published in the Journal of Bioscience states that rats fed a diet high in cayenne experienced a significant reduction in blood triglycerides and low-density lipoproteins (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol. Capsaicin, a compound found in cayenne that gives the spice its “kick”, is an anti-inflammatory. The incidence of blood clots in countries that routinely use curry in their cuisines is much lower than in the United States.
Herbs such as turmeric, garlic, cayenne, usual ingredients in curry powder, are believed to help prevent platelets from sticking together and forming dangerous blood clots that could result in heart attacks and stroke.
Uses
Historically, herbalists regarded cayenne as a stimulating stomachic and a catalyst for other herbal preparations. Traditional practitioners administered it to stimulate circulation, promote digestion and appetite, address chills, and manage flatulence and nausea. It was often incorporated into regimens intended to support the stomach, kidneys, lungs, spleen, pancreas, and heart.
In various folk practices, it was taken for rheumatism, arthritis, colds, tonsillitis, laryngitis, hoarseness, and intestinal cramps, occasionally paired with lobelia for nervous complaints. Folk traditions in the West Indies utilized it in remedies for scarlatina, and it was also historically reputed to address seasickness, expel intestinal worms, enhance fertility, and stave off senility.
Modern herbal traditions have documented its application for cluster headaches. Externally, practitioners prepared cayenne as liniments, plasters, and tinctures, applying them to the skin to encourage blood flow and address complaints such as arthritis, rheumatism, and pleurisy, while some historical sources also recorded the topical application of the pepper to open wounds and ulcers.
How Sold
Powder, tincture, tablet, teas, liniment, and capsules. Prepared teas are available, or make it from dried herb.
Warning
Prolonged application to the skin can cause dermatitis and raise blisters. Excessive consumption can cause gastroenteritis and kidney or liver damage. Avoid touching the eyes, genitalia, or any cuts after handling fresh chilies. If taken internally, do not exceed recommended doses. High doses taken internally can cause gastroenteritis and kidney damage. Cayenne can be irritating to hemorrhoids.
Should not be used by people with gastrointestinal problems. Never apply cayenne ointment or liniment to broken skin. The seeds can be toxic, so do not use them. Avoid therapeutic doses of cayenne during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
Bibliography
, Loma Linda, CA 92354, Original copyright 1939, revised edition 1994 The Herb Book , by John Lust, Bantam Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY. copyright 1974. , Lotus Press, PO Box 325, Twin Lakes. , Pantheon Books, Knopf Publishing Group, New York, 1994, first edition Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Fifth Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements , by James F.
D. and Phyllis A. , 15 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023 The Magic of Herbs in Daily Living , by Richard Lucas, Parker Publishing Co. (1988). , Simon & Schuster/Fireside, Rockefeller Center 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020 Indian Herbalogy of North America , by Alma R. , Horticultural Hall, 300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, 1973 Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary , 15th Edition, F.
A. Davis Company, 1915 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103 The Yoga of Herbs: An Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine , by Dr. David Frawley & Dr. Vasant Lad, Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, Second edition, 1988. The Rodale Herb Book: How to Use, Grow, and Buy Nature’s Miracle Plants (An Organic gardening and farming book) , edited by William H. Hylton, Rodale Press, Inc. , 1974