Saturday, March 8, 2014

Chili today hot tamale (really bad old joke)

Fascinated to read in the New Scientist of 1 March 2014 of the latest research on why chillies cause that burning sensation. Yes yes I now it's the capsaicin, but why is it?

Well, turns out that sensory perceptions depend on channels on the surface of nerve cells that when activated open their pores allowing a tiny electrical charge to flow in. The one that responds to capsaicin has the unsalubrious designation TRPV1. This channel also responds to painfully hot temperatures of about 43C or higher which, NS says, explains why chillies feel like they burn your mouth.

These TRP (apparently pronounced 'trip' - calling all hippies :) ) channels are involved in other sensory perception also.  TRPM8 is activate by relatively cool temperatures between 10C and 30C and gives us a cooling sensation, like when we taste menthol.

These findings are leading eggheads to look at using these channels for other purposes like fighting fat and tumours by tickling the thermostat.

Which of course leads me to pondering the long established ayurvedic/naturopathic uses of herb and spice extracts for heating and cooling the body to treat a range of ailments. Seems like there is a growing convergence of knowledge between trad and 'modern' medicinal practice.

Here's a neato pic from NS of our 'internal thermostat' and where various herb and spice ingredients fit on the scale.


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