The active ingredient of chili peppers, capsaicin, can lower the risk of heart trouble and improve pulmonary function. It is both alcohol and fat soluble.
      [Dr. Irwin Ziment, a professor at the U. of California School of Medicine, intrigued by the low incidence of respiratory trouble in Los Angeles among Mexicans who smoke, has, over the past ten years been prescribing chilies as pulmonary strengtheners.]

      Additionally, a dual study performed at Northwestern University and the University of Minnesota, showed that patients with shingles, a viral infection that produces blisters and severe nerve pain, reported relief of pain when treated with capsaicin (topical application).
      [The muscle salve "Heet", manufactured by Whitehall Labs in Manhattan, is composed largely of capsaicin.]

      "Hot sauce" can kill Vibrio vulnificus bacteria, which is found in raw oysters (in those suffering from chronic liver disease, or with impaired immune function, shellfish containing the bacteria can be fatal).

      Louisiana State U. Medical Center researchers found six such hot sauces (even diluted to one part in 16) killed the Vibrio (in vitro) in five minutes or less.

      U. of California at San Francisco researchers reported in a November 1989 issue of FasebJournal (published by the American Societies for Experimental Biology) that eyedrops containing capsaicin prevented flare-ups of latent herpes eye infections in mice for up to two months (most herpes infections of the eye are caused by herpes simplex type 1, the strain primarily responsible for cold sores).
    [Although the work has implications for humans, pepper solutions should not be used in eyes due to their ability to cause nerve damage.]

      Researchers at Johns Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Center are working on nose sprays of capsaicin to control non-allerrgic rhinitis (runny nose, sneezing, congestion).
            In a small study, sprays reduced symptoms in eight volunteers.

      Capsaicin is an alkaloid irritant which stimulates release of endorphins, and as such is related to nicotine, quinine, cocaine and morphine.

      Mounting evidence indicates that consuming capsaicin may protect against bowel disease.

      Chilies do not aggravate ulcers. They also contain large amounts of Vitamins A and C. 89% of capsaicin is found in the placental partitions of peppers (interior "ribs").
      [See: "Peppers: The Domesticated Capsicums"/Jean Andrews/U. of Texas   Press]

      Capsaicin content of peppers can be analysed via high-pressure liquid chromatography, and a formula has been achieved for converting chromatography measurements to Scoville units, a human taste method.
      For example, a jalapeno pepper has a Scoville rating of 1,500-4,500. A bottle of Tabasco sauce, 4,500. The hottest known pepper, the habanero, has a Scoville rating of 200,000.

      There are hundreds of varieties of hot peppers, each with its own capsaicin ratings.
      "Cooling" effects in the mouth after eating peppers can be generated by cold alcoholic beverages, table sugar, dairy products containg lactic acid (and casein), and starchy foods.


Caveat