[CH] Toxic Capsaicin?
Scott W. Schreiber (scottws@stratos.net)
Thu, 19 Aug 1999 13:27:47 -0400
The question about the heart got me looking around...I found this:
SCIENCE/HEALTH ABSTRACTS
Vol. 5, No. 3
Copyright 1986 Phylis Austin
CAPSAICIN TOXICITY
Capsaicin, found in various hot peppers, has adverse effects on the
peripheral nervous system. It also has adverse effects on several important
centers in the brain, and on enzyme and neuroprotein function in the brain.
Intestinal action on various nutrients, including protein, is altered to our
injury. Furthermore, the blood vessels and heart are particularly sensitive
to toxic factors in capsaicin.
One dose of capsaicin is sufficient to destroy almost all substance P (an
important nerve chemical related to endorphins) in the dorsal root ganglia
of the nervous system, and causes about a 50 percent loss from part of the
spinal cord. Loss of substance P may also lead to urinary retention, and
because of the partial paralyzing effect on the bladder, is undoubtedly only
part of why peppers irritate the bladder and prostate. Even low doses lead
to low core body temperature (hypothermia), also due to a toxic influence on
the brain. Capsaicin also interferes with glucose uptake, and at least one
study suggests that it may cause cancer of the duodenum. (Nutrition Reviews
44(1)20-23, January, 1986) An earlier report (Anticancer Research 4:117-120,
1984) revealed the tumorigenic and mutagenic effect of capsaicin.
http://www.tagnet.org/abstracts/search/v5/n3/v5n31.htm
Scott