The aromatic amide capsaicin is the 鈥渉ot stuff鈥� in chili peppers and paprika. It takes its name from聽Capsicum, the genus to which many peppers belong. It was isolated in 1816; its structure was elucidated in 1920; and it was first synthesized in 1930.
MOTW update:聽
June 25, 2018
Capsaicin was the Molecule of the Week for August 18, 2008. It is what makes chili peppers and other spicy foods 鈥渉ot鈥�. It is also used medicinally for treating pain and itching, but it has unpleasant side effects. Now, chemists at Miguel Hern谩ndez University of Elche (Spain) and the University of Eastern Piedmont (Italy) report capsaicin derivatives that do capsaicin鈥檚 job, then to prevent subsequent unpleasantness.
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