Capsaicin is a capsaicinoid, a family of chemicals found in these peppers making Chillies superhot Capsaicin is an odourless, flavourless, lipophilic substance. It belongs to alkaloids, is a derivative of vanillylamide

1. CHEMISTRY OF CHILLIES
Article Written and Published
By
www.worldofchemicals.com

2. INTRODUCTION
 Did anyone thought how
 Chillies will get hot flavour?
 Burning sensation on your tongue after having chillies? And
 Why do we passionate to eat chillies even though they are
hot?
 When you’ve eaten spicy food in precise chillies you will get tears
in your eyes, and your mouth feels burning sensation and as a
course of action spontaneously you will have a glass of water to
suppress the hotness. But still after having a glass of water you
feel to drink more water! All this kind of taste, burning sensation
and heat on your tongue is due to a chemical named ‘Capsaicin’
which is present in chillies.

3. WHY DO WE PASSIONATE TO EAT CHILLIES
EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE HOT?
 The reason behind why people are passionate to
eat chillies even though they are hot is when nerve
cells release substance p ( neuropeptide functions
as a neurotransmitter and as a neuromodulator
) and these act on brain cells in the same way that
opium-derived drug morphine does, as a result, you
feel good.
 The degree of heat produced by chillies can be
measured by ‘Scoville scale’. The number of
Scoville heat units (SHU) indicates the amount of
capsaicin present.

4. CAPSAICIN
 Capsaicin is a capsaicinoid, a family of chemicals found in these
peppers which induce the feeling of heat upon ingestion. There
are five other major capsaicinoids; however, capsaicin is the
most prevalent and strongest. Capsaicin retains its original
potency despite time, cooking, or freezing. Capsaicin is a
chemical compound which stimulates chemoreceptor nerve
endings in the skin, especially the mucous membranes.
 There are six types of capsaicinoids
 Capsaicin
 Dihydrocapsaicin
 Nordihydrocapsaicin
 Homodihydrocapsaicin
 Homocapsaicin
 Nonivamide

5. CAPSAICIN STRUCTURE

6. HISTORY OF CAPSAICIN
 The molecule was first isolated in 1816 in crystalline
form by P. A. Bucholz and again 30 years later by L.T.
Thresh, who gave it the name "capsaicin". The structure
of capsaicin was partly elucidated by E. K. Nelson in
1919. Capsaicin was first synthesized in 1930 by E.
Spath and F. S. Darling.
 Capsaicin is an irritant for mammals, including humans,
and produces a sensation of burning in any tissue with
which it comes into contact. Capsaicin and several
related compounds are called capsaicinoids and are
produced as a secondary metabolite by chili peppers,
probably as deterrents against certain herbivores and
fungi.

7. MECHANISM

8. MECHANISM CONT ..
 Capsaicin, as a member of the vanilloid family, binds to a
receptor called the vanilloid receptor subtype 1 (VR1). VR1
can be stimulated with heat and physical abrasion and
thereby it permits cations to pass through the cell membrane
and into the cell when activated.
 The resulting depolarization of the neuron stimulates it to
signal the brain. By binding to the VR1 receptor, the capsaicin
molecule produces the same sensation that excessive heat or
abrasive damage would cause, explaining why the spiciness
of capsaicin is described as a burning sensation.
 The VR1 ion channel is member of the superfamily of TRP ion
channels i.e., TRPV1. There are a number of TRP ion
channels that have been shown to be sensitive to different
ranges of temperature and probably are responsible for our
range of temperature sensation. Thus, capsaicin does not
actually cause a chemical burn, or indeed any damage to
tissue but it causes only the sensation.

9. APPLICATIONS
 Capsaicin applications in food sector
 Capsaicin applications in medical sector
 Capsaicin applications in pest control
 Capsaicin applications weight loss and regain

10. CAPSAICIN APPLICATIONS IN FOOD SECTOR
 It is used in food products to give them added spice
or heat.
 In high concentrations capsaicin will also cause a
burning effect on other sensitive areas of skin
 To get experience the pleasurable and even
euphoriant effects

11. CAPSAICIN APPLICATIONS IN MEDICAL
SECTOR
 Capsaicin is being used in
 Topical ointments
 High-dose dermal patches
 In pain relieving treatment
 In post-herpetic neuropathy
 Peripheral neuropathy
 Hernia repair and
 Osteoarthritis

12. CAPSAICIN APPLICATIONS IN PEST CONTROL
 Capsaicin is also used to deter mammalian pests
and to improve crop security.
 Capsaicin applications weight loss and regain
 It causes a shift in substrate oxidation from
carbohydrate to fat oxidation as a result of this
there is a decrease in appetite as well as a
decrease in food and fat intake. The reduction in fat
intake will have changes in weight of the person.

13. REFERENCE
 [1] © From http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/why-chillies-
are-hot-the-science-behind-the-heat.htm
 [2] © From
http://www.ensymm.com/pdf/ensymm_capsaicin_extraction_abstract.pdf
 [3] © From http://www.superhotchilli.com/info.html
 [4] © From http://www.chilliworld.com/factfile/chilli-peppers-faq.as

 Image reference

 Fig. 1) Capsaicin structure © From
http://www.ensymm.com/pdf/ensymm_capsaicin_extraction_abstract.pdf
 Fig. 2) Capsaicin mechanism © From
http://www.ensymm.com/pdf/ensymm_capsaicin_extraction_abstract.pdf