"Capsaicin, the active chemical in capsicum plants that are a key ingredient in anything you'd think of as spicy, evolved as an irritant to stop mammals from chewing and destroying plant seeds. It acts on the nervous system directly through receptors in the tongue, throat and skin no taste buds required and, in theory, tells our bodies that the thing we've just ingested is something to get rid of as soon as possible."
"Capsaicin binds to a receptor in the body called TRPV1, which is found in a specialised class of neurons called nociceptors that usually detect things that are potentially damaging to the body. When that happens, it's like a little fire alarm goes off and activates parts of the autonomic nervous system, which regulates various involuntary bodily functions without conscious control."
Capsaicin functions as an irritant evolved to deter mammals from destroying seeds by producing a burn-like sensation. The compound binds to TRPV1 receptors on nociceptors, activating a neural alarm that engages the autonomic nervous system. Autonomic activation produces physiological responses such as tearing, sweating, and nasal discharge that aim to expel the irritant. TRPV1 also responds to high temperatures and to piperine from black pepper. Different chemical sensations use other receptors: TRPA1 mediates mustard, wasabi, and radish irritation, while TRPM8 primarily mediates cold sensations.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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