Annual or short-lived perennial with alternate, lance-shaped to ovate, mid-green leaves, to 12cm (5in) long. Solitary, bell-shaped white or yellow flowers, to 1.5cm across, are produced from the leaf axils in summer or all year round depending on the climate. The pendent, narrowly conical, twisted fruit, to 15cm (6in) long, are used fresh or dried. 1.5m high by 50cm wide. Genus of up to 10 species of erect or spreading, many-branched annuals and perennials from wasteland and lowland forest margins in tropical North and South America. Many cultivars are available. Capsicums are mostly cultivated as crop plants for their shiny, chambered, many-seeded, variably shaped fruits, which are green at first, often ripening to yellow, orange or red. The genus includes bell peppers (pimentos) as well as hot chilli peppers. Frost tender. Grow from seed in late winter at 21°C. Susceptible to viruses, fungal wilt, anthracnose, and powdery mildew. Red spider mites and aphids may be a problem under glass.

The medicinal use of Capsicums has a long history, dating back to the Mayas who used to treat asthma, cough and sore throats. The Aztecs used chilli pungency to relieve toothaches. Besides its use as a food additive in various spicy cuisines, Capsicum (due to its capsaicin content) is currently used for various therapeutic purposes such as a counter-irritant balm for external application, to alleviate pain, shingles, arthritis and diabetic neuropathy.

Traditional Herbal Medicine Registration (THMR).

There is a video by Dr Henry Oakeley

Cap’sicum- Peppers, both hot and sweet. From Greek, kapto, to bite. The true peppercorn, however, is Piper nigrum. The cultivar of C. annuum grown at the RCP is unknown.

Capsicum annuum 'Masquerade'. This ‘domesticated species’ originated from Mexico (although the centre of Capsicum evolution was much earlier and from Bolivia) and includes the bland salad peppers and the hot chilli peppers, of which capsaicin (sometimes called capsicain), from the lining of the inside of the chilli, is the main active ingredient. Chilli comes from the Aztec language of the Nahuatl people. It was reputedly introduced to Europe by Columbus in the mid-15th century, but was cultivated in Mexico since 4,000 BCE and used in cooking since 7,200 BCE. After its introduction to Europe, its cultivation very rapidly became world-wide. It appears first as a description (Bock, 1539) with the name teutschem Pfeffer, and as Siliquastrum the first illustration appears in Historia Stirpes commentarii insignis (Fuchs, 1542). Fuchs did not realise it came from the Americas, as he identified it as a plant described by Pliny, Dioscorides and Avicenna and gave their uses of it. It appear in Dodoen's Cruydeboeck (1551) and Lyte's translation (1557) with the note that it is 'hot and drie in the third degree'He recommended it for dressing meat, and noted that it 'warmeth the stomach' and was good for a sore throat, scrofula, and topically got rid of spots. Fuch's had reported these properties as being described by Avicenna, but what that plant was is unknown. Lindley (1838) wrote: 'It is employed in medicine, in combination with Cinchona in intermittent and lethargic affections, and also in atonic gout, dyspepsia accompanied by flatulence, tympanitis, paralysis etc. Its most valuable application appears however to be in cynanche maligna [=severe sore throat, with impending suffocation] and scarlatina maligna [=severe scarlet fever], used either as a gargle or administered internally.' However, its principal use medically has been in pain relief, applied locally for pain from muscle injury to post herpetic neuralgia. Capsaicin acts on the pain and heat sensing neurones to make them trigger the sensation of pain at body temperature. Repeated exposure to capsaicin depletes the neurotransmitter substance P that is used to perceive pain, so the relevant nerves no longer transmit the sensation of pain/heat from any cause.It is a banned substance in the equestrian events at the Olympics because of its ability to stop perception of pain. Capsaicin has been shown, experimentally, to kill cancer cells by attacking their mitochondria. Particular interest has concentrated on its ability to reduce the size of tumours of the pancreas and prostate. Various cultivars are used in cooking, and the strength (i.e. how hot they are) is measured in Scoville units. A standard chilli pepper used in England would be around 5,000 Scovilles, the hottest peppers are rated over one million Scoville units.

Capsaicin is a component of many disabling and riot control sprays because of its acute irritant effect; makes the eyes water and producing burning sensations in the eyes, nose and mouth

Capsaicin can be highly irritant and painful to eyes and mouth. Smaller doses are an important ingredient in hot foods, such as chilli dishes.