Various cultures have their own cures. Cayenne pepper is the best-known or most popular subtance. The pharmacology of hot peppers centers on its capsaicin content. The carotene molecules of hot peppers exerts powerful antioxidant effects. Cardiovascular effects Hot peppers exert a number of beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system.
Cultures consuming large amounts of hot peppers have much lower rates of cardiovascular disease.
Topical effects When topically applied to the skin or mucous membranes, capsaicin is known to stimulate and then block small-diameter pain fibers by depleting them of a neurotransmitter called substance P. Substance P is thought to be the principal chemomediator on pain impulses from the periphery. In addition, substance P has been shown to activate inflammatory mediators in joint tissues in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical Applications Hot peppers should be recommended as a food for its beneficial antioxidant and cardiovascular effects. Spicy foods do not cause ulcers in normal individuals. Interestingly enough, capsaicin, although hot to the taste, actually lowers body temperature by stimulating the cooling center of the hypothalamus in the brain.