Medical Uses for Capsicum

Capsicum, a pepper plant native to Mexico and Central America, has been used for centuries in folk medicine. Medical annals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, have documented capsicum throughout history for having many medicinal uses.

Digestion

• People have used capsicum to treat symptoms of dyspepsia, which is slow digestion. The pepper also aids in peristalsis, which is the action that moves digested food through the intestines.

Circulatory

• Capsicum works quickly to cause the blood to flow faster, which helps other herbs taken with it to reach their destinations faster and work better.

Arthritis Pain

• The extract, capsaicin, comes from capsicum. This is the ingredient used in many arthritis creams and ointments to relieve joint pain.

Blood Effects

• Capsicum not only acts as a clot buster in heart attack cases, but it also acts to aid in the coagulation, or clotting of blood, when someone is bleeding freely.

Expert Insight

• Dr. John Christopher, described by the Association of Master Herbalists as a "pioneer in the art of natural healing" reported in his book "Capsicum" that he never lost a patient to a heart attack when going out on a house call. This was because he always revived them with hot capsicum tea, which is one-quarter teaspoon of cayenne in one cup of hot water.