Herb Series: Cayenne (Capsicum species)

Capsicum annuum
Family: Solanaceae nightshade, includes all peppers, tomato, and eggplant.
​Parts Used: Fruit

All peppers have medicinal properties but cayenne seems to have the strongest properties and what is used the most for medicinal purposes. 

Properties

• stimulant
• astringent
• hemostatic (stop internal bleeding or hemorrhaging)
• carminative (aid digestion)
• anti-tumor
• anti-catarrhal (eliminate excessive mucous)
• rubefacient (stimulate and increase blood flow)
• analgesic (pain reliever)
• antispasmodic (suppresses muscle spasms)
• antibacterial 
• anti-ulcer
• anti-microbial (kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth)
• thermogenic (produces heat)
• styptic (stops external bleeding)

definitions

Medicinal Uses

• Circulation stimulant, warms body and extremities. Take internally or can be sprinkled in shoes, slippers and gloves or small amount rubbed into parts that need warming.
• Heart attack/stroke - give victim 1 tsp. powder mixed with 1 cup warm water or dropperful of tincture under tongue. This is great to have in an emergency first aid kit.
• Heart tonic - supports arteries, blood vessels and heart.
• Rebuilds vein structures and removes plaque from veins.
• Prevents blood clots, keeps blood flowing freely through the veins.
• Lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels, reducing heart disease.
• Hemorrhage
• Digestive aid
• Diarrhea related to infection.
• Arthritis, muscles and joints, use both internal and external.
• Cramps and menstrual pain.
• Sprains and strains.
• Ulcers
• Asthma
• Pain reliever (use topically).
• Relieves the muscle pain and tenderness caused by fibromyalgia.
• Relieves pain associated with shingles, chicken pox, and herpes.
• Relieves the pain and itchiness associated with psoriasis and eczema.
• Headaches
• Cold and flu.
• Sore throat, respiratory congestion, tonsillitis, laryngitis.
• Oral health to prevent and heal dental issues.
• Not medicinal but cayenne is used for self defense in pepper sprays and also for pest control in the garden.

Methods of Use

• Make a tea using 1 tsp. cayenne to 1 cup warm water.
• Tincture 
• Powder
• Capsules
• Honey 
• Salve, ointment, liniment
• Include it in your meals, if you can handle the heat.

Just a quick reminder here that cayenne is a hot pepper, therefore it is hot.  Be mindful of this when using any of these methods.

Herbal preparations

In the Garden

• Cayenne likes a bright, sunny and warm location.

• Transplant into full sun after the last frost.
• Prefers dry soil, requires little water.
• Plant next to basil and cilantro, but stay away from sweet peppers, it will make them hot.
• Use gloves when picking, pick the fruit when it is bright red. 
• For dehydrating and making powder, wash with warm water and dry completely.  Remove stems (keeping those gloves on) and slice in half.  Place on dehydrator tray and set the temp. between 135 – 145 for 8-12 hours.  I have also dried the entire pepper and once dried pull off the stem, either way works.
• Once dry, blend into a powder and store in a cool, dark location. 
• Great post on growing and using hot peppers fromOld World Garden Farms.

Caution

This is a perfectly safe herb but can be hot! Use appropriate dosages and watch for skin irritation.  Not recommended for children under two and in small amounts for older children.  Be careful when handling cayenne, it will burn, gloves are always recommended.

When I first started my herbal journey and read about how wonderful cayenne was, my poor husband suffered the consequences.  When a hatchet fell from a shelf in our garage (I have no idea who left it sitting on a shelf rather than in the tool box) and cut his head, I immediately grabbed my cayenne powder and sprinkled away.  It stopped the bleeding instantly alright but he was in so much agony from the burning he said he would rather have bled to death.  And then there were the cayenne capsules for the prevention of heart disease, since it runs in his family.  He is always up for taking something in a capsule form so he took my recommended dose of three capsules of solid cayenne and ended up with severe heartburn.  Oops, maybe I should've mixed the cayenne with other heart health herbs rather than giving them straight up.  My point is to be careful when using this amazing herb, after all, it is a hot pepper. Start with small amounts and work up to the recommended amounts if needed. 

printable for herbal

Recipes

Pain Salve for Arthritis and Muscle Pain

Heart Health Herbal Capsules

Soothing Throat Coat

Osteo Blend

First Aid Liniments

Where to get good quality cayenne?

I would not rely on the grocery store cayenne to be very potent, let alone who knows where it was grown and what chemicals may have been used in growing it.  I would either grow it fresh in my garden or order from a high quality herb store, I do both.  Mountain Rose Herbs, Bulk Herb Store, and Dr. Christopher's Herb Shop carry fresh, high quality, organic or wild harvested herbs.

Resources

Herbal Legacy - Cayenne to the Rescue part I
Herbal Legacy - Cayenne to the Rescue part II
Cayenne Benefits by Dr. Axe
Hot Pepper Pest Control from Old World Garden Farms