Herbs - Cayenne Pepper - Ailments / Situations Where Used

Cayenne has been referred to as the purest and most certain stimulant in the herbal materia medica.

Cayenne acts as a counterirritant for pain control. It can be applied topically as a "hot-pot" application or you may also use capsaicin cream or ointment in concentrations of 0.025-0.075%. The cream may also be applied topically to treat arthritis, post surgical amputation, neuralgic pain, cluster headaches, and diabetic neuropathy. NOTE: Cayenne may cause a burning sensation and skin redness during the first few applications.

Cayenne acts as a digestive stimulant and can be used for poor digestion. It also acts as a powerful antioxidant due to its carotene content. It is also useful for a variety of cardiovascular problems.

Use cayenne to treat psoriasis. Apply topically as a cream or ointment to reduce and eliminate lesions.

If you have a cold, sip cayenne tea. Use ¹/₄ to ¹/₂ teaspoon per cup of hot water or in a foot bath: 1 to 3 tablespoons in hot water over ankles for 5 to 20 minutes. Use caution due to extreme heat sensation.

Cayenne also stimulates the cooling centre of hypothalamus to produce cooling effect in the body. Use in food.