The dried ripe fruit of Capsicum fastigiatum Blume deprived of its calyx.

Habitat.—Tropical America; cultivated also in other tropical countries.

Properties.—Capsicum when ground has a hot, pungent, spicy taste.

Constituents.—Capsicum contains capsaicin, a crystallizable, acrid body; capsicin, a volatile alkaloid; a fixed oil; fatty matter; resin.

Dose.—Horses, 20 gr. to 1 dr.; cattle, 1 to 2 dr., sheep and pigs, 5 to 10 gr.; dogs, 1 to 5 gr.

PREPARATIONS

FLUIDEXTRACTUM CAPSICI—FLUID EXTRACT OF CAPSICUM

Made by maceration and percolation with alcohol, and evaporated, so that 1 cc. equals 1 gm. of the crude drug.

Dose.—Horses, 10 m. to 1 dr.; cattle, 1 to 2 dr.; sheep and pigs, 5 to 10 m.; dogs, 1 to 5 m.

TINCTURA CAPSICI—TINCTURE OF CAPSICUM

Made by percolation of capsicum, 100, with alcohol and water to make 1,000.

Dose.—Horses, 2 to 4 dr.; cattle, ¹/₂ to 1 oz.; sheep and pigs, 20 m. to 1 dr.; dogs, 5 to 30 m.

OLEORESINA CAPSICI—OLEORESIN OF CAPSICUM

Made by percolation with acetone, distillation and evaporation of the residue.

Dose.—Horses, 10 to 30 m.; cattle, ¹/₂ to 1 dr.; sheep and pigs, 1 to 5 m.; dogs, ¹/₂ to 1 m.

Action and Uses.—Capsicum and its preparations are irritants, stimulating stomachics, carminatives and rubefacients. Large doses, especially in carnivora and omnivora, are irritant poisons, inflaming the alimentary and sometimes also the urino-genital mucous membranes. Properly regulated doses are indicated in atonic indigestion and flatulent colic in horses combined with ammonium carbonate. It may be advantageously combined with bitters, as nux vomica. Capsicum is a favorite stimulant and tonic remedy—to the digestion—with poultry fanciers. It also increases the laying of eggs when given to hens. Externally capsicum is rubefacient and counter-irritant, producing about the same degree of irritation as mustard, but causing considerable pain. It ought not be used for blistering ointments or for setons.