Capsaicinoid

Capsaicinoids are pungent compounds found primarily in chili peppers. Capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin are their most abundant members.

TRPV1: A sensory ion channel activated by heat, acidity, and compounds such as capsaicin. Capsaicinoids trigger this channel, producing sensations of heat and pain.
Vanillyl group: A structural group derived from vanillin, present in capsaicinoids and other compounds. The vanillyl portion is a shared feature of major capsaicinoids.
Scoville scale: A scale expressing chili pepper pungency through capsaicinoid concentration or human sensory testing. It translates the pungency associated with capsaicinoids into a familiar measure.
Capsicum: A genus of flowering plants that includes chili peppers and sweet peppers. Capsaicinoids occur chiefly in pungent fruits of this plant genus.
Capsaicin: The best-known capsaicinoid, responsible for much of chili peppers’ pungency. It is the principal example of how this compound group activates TRPV1.
Fatty acid: A carboxylic acid with a hydrocarbon chain, used in biological molecules and metabolism. Capsaicinoids contain a fatty-acid-derived portion linked to a vanillyl group.
Capsaicin cream: A topical medicine containing capsaicin, used for certain types of localized pain. Repeated exposure to capsaicinoids can reduce pain signaling in treated areas.
Bhut jolokia: A chili pepper cultivar known for exceptionally high pungency. Its intense heat reflects a high concentration of capsaicinoids.
Dihydrocapsaicin: A capsaicinoid structurally similar to capsaicin and common in chili peppers. It is another major contributor to the pungency of chili peppers.
Capsaicinoid biosynthesis: The plant pathway that produces capsaicinoids from aromatic and branched-chain precursors. This pathway assembles the structural parts found across the compound group.

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