Cayenne, powder, 35K H.U.
Capsicum annum
Also known as Cayenne Peppers
History: This Cayenne is USDA Organic, and has a heat rating of 35,000 H.U. Chili is the Aztec name for Capsicum annuum. It has been used both as a food and a medicine by Native Americans for over 9000 years. The Capsicum family includes bell peppers, red peppers, paprika, and pimento, but the most famous medicinal members of the family are cayenne and chile. The tasty hot peppers have long been used in many of the world's cuisines, but their greatest use in health comes from, surprisingly, conventional medicine. The burning sensation of hot peppers is a reaction of the central nervous system to capsaicin; unlike horseradish, wasabi, garlic, ginger, and mustard, capsaicin only causes the sensation of damage, not real damage to tissues.
Modern Use: The Commission E approved cayenne for painful muscle spasms in areas of shoulder, arm, and spine of adults and children. Preparations are used to treat arthritis, rheumatism, neuralgia, lumbago, and chilblains. It is also used as a deterrent for thumb sucking or nail biting in children (Leung and Foster, 1996).