Re: [CH] Toxic Capsaicin?
Akiva Kotler (akiva@barak-online.net)
Thu, 19 Aug 1999 23:34:04 +0300
----- Original Message -----
From: Scott W. Schreiber <scottws@stratos.net>
To: Chile Heads <chile-heads@globalgarden.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 19, 1999 8:27 PM
Subject: [CH] Toxic Capsaicin?
> 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
>
>
Sounds like the best thing that Carp can do to get rid of his groundhog is
to let him eat heartily in the pepper patch. I am positive that our co
chile-head comrades will soon provide us with the kind of scientific studies
that we like.
Akiva