Chili peppers and pain relief

Purified capsaicin, a drug derived from chili peppers, reduced pain for at least three days following groin hernia surgery, according to a new study.

The study involved 41 men undergoing open (not laparoscopic) groin hernia repair with mesh. Half of the men received 1,000 micrograms of ultra purified capsaicin (an odorless, flavorless substance) directly into their wounds during surgery. The remaining patients were given a placebo. All of the study participants received ibuprofen and acetaminophen.

Patients in the capsaicin group had significantly lower pain scores during the three days following surgery, compared to the patients who had received the placebo. There were no significant differences in average pain scores after this period.

The study showed pain relief “without any clinically important side effects,” said study author Eske K. Aasvang, M.D., anesthesiology research fellow, Juliana Marie Center, Copenhagen, Denmark.

“The potential for a much longer duration- potentially weeks- of pain relief induced by a single administration of ultra purified capsaicin should be investigated in patients with severe postoperative pain,” Dr. Aasvang said.

Founded in 1905, the American Society of Anesthesiologists is an educational, research and scientific association with 41,000 members organized to raise and maintain the standards of the medical practice of anesthesiology and improve the care of the patient. Visit our Web site at http://www.asahq.org.