Cayenne Pepper: Benefits, Uses & Dosage

Cayenne pepper is pungent and hot. It is a domestic herb used in cooking. It enkindles digestive fire and is a good appetizer. It enhances circulation and causes sweating.

Cayenne helps to evacuate the bowel and destroys worms and parasites. It is good for colds, cough and congestion.

Cayenne has a cleansing action upon the large intestine and sweat glands. It may be used internally by placing the cayenne in capsules. Two capsules two to three times a day help to break down blood clots. It is good for vata and kapha disorders but not for those of pitta.

Cayenne helps to reduce the heaviness of food and makes it light, palatable and easily absorbable. It should be used with meat, lentils and cheese.

Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum annuum, Sanskrit: Marichi-phala, meaning "fruit of the sun") is a fruit with pungent taste, heating energy, and pungent post-digestive effect. Like black pepper (Marich), it contains large amounts of solar energy. It acts on plasma, blood, and has some action on marrow, nerves, and reproductive tissues through the digestive, circulatory, and respiratory systems.

According to Ayurveda, cayenne is not a panacea, though it is a very valuable medicine. It is a strong stimulant — both circulatory and digestive — and a powerful dispeller of internal and external cold. It is food for Agni. Its actions include stimulant, diaphoretic, expectorant, carminative, alterative, hemostatic, and anthelmintic. Cayenne has strong hemostatic action and can be used in acute conditions to stop bleeding, though long-term usage can promote hemorrhaging by its heating property.

It is indicated for indigestion, Ama, poor absorption, abdominal distention, worms, sinus congestion, chronic chill, and poor circulation. Cayenne reduces Kapha and Vata but increases Pitta. It should not be used indiscriminately — precautions apply for ulcers, gastritis, enteritis, and inflammatory conditions of the gastrointestinal tract. It enhances the properties of many other herbs when combined. Preparations include infusion and powder in low dosage (100–500 mg).