Plant Family: Solanaceae

Common Names: African Pepper, Bird's Eye Chilli, Bird Pepper, Cocksbur Pepper, Guinea Pepper, Spanish Pepper, Zanzibar Pepper

Origin: Sierra Leone, Zanzibar, Madagascar and other parts of Africa, Japan, and now grown in the tropics

History: The name means 'to bite' in Greek. It was introduced into Britain from India in 1548.

Tradition:

• added to love powders will ensure that your love will be spicy
• can inflame the loved one with passion
• scattered around your house will break bad spells

Plant Constituents

Contains:

• Capsaicin, a red coloring matter
• oleic acid
• palmitic acid
• stearic acids
• Vitamin C

Usage

Medicinal Parts Used: The fruits. For herbal use, the peppers are usually ground into a powder and mixed with other powdered herbs in capsules or made into a tincture.

Internally Cayenne is used for:

Blood Conditions

• stops internal bleeding making it excellent for use with ulcers

Brain and Nervous System Conditions

• depression

Cardiovascular Conditions

• benefits the heart and circulation when taken alone or added to other remedies
• circulation problems worsened by cold weather
• equalizes the circulation
• normalizes blood pressure
• used as part of treatment in alcoholism in relieving chronic congestion by reducing dilated blood vessels
• warming and stimulating actions on the circulation
• weakness or deficiency of the circulatory system

Female Conditions

• menstrual cramps

Gastrointestinal Conditions

• atony of the intestines and stomach
• flatulence (gas/wind)
• loss of appetite
• sluggish dyspepsia
• stimulates digestion
• stomach and bowel cramps
• stomach and bowel pains cramps
• warming and stimulating actions on the digestion and circulation
• weakness or deficiency of the digestive system

Immune System Conditions

• general stimulant
• helps prevent disease in people exposed to cold and damp for any length of time
• preventative to keep away disease
• builds up resistance at the beginning of a cold

Respiratory Tract Conditions

• used for chills generally
• respiratory problems associated with cold, damp weather

Other

• produces natural warmth
• stimulates the action of other herbs
• used in antibiotic combinations

Externally Cayenne:

• is used for poor circulation (footbath)
• is very effective added to liniments for all sorts of arthritis and muscle aches
• will stop external bleeding 
• can be sprinkled [a small amount] into socks or shoes to warm the feet during the winter months

It is used in plasters and liniments or tincture directly applied to increase blood flow to areas affected by:

• arthritis
• pericarditis
• pleuritis
• rheumatism

Other Uses:

• used extensively as a condiment and in hot curry powders

Action:

• appetizer [an agent that excites the appetite]
• carminative [an agent for easing griping pains, colic and expelling gas from the intestines]
• digestive [aids the digestive system]
• irritant [an agent that causes inflammation or irritation of the skin or internal tissue]
• local stimulant without any narcotic effect [an agent that excites or quickens the functional activity of the tissues giving more energy]
• rubefacient [a gentle local irritant that produces blisters, inflammation and reddening of the skin]
• sialagogue [an agent that stimulates the secretion of saliva]
• tonic [an agent that tones, strengthens and invigorates organs or the entire organism giving a feeling of well-being]

Precautions

Caution:

• Do not use on broken skin

Excessive consumption can cause:

• gastroenteritis
• kidney damage
• stomach irritation

Prolonged use can cause:

• dermatitis
• raised blisters