Capsicum

Are there any interactions with medications?

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Cocaine
Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Talk with your health provider.

Cocaine has many dangerous side effects. Using capsicum along with cocaine might increase the side effects of cocaine, including heart attack and death.

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Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs)
Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Talk with your health provider.

Capsicum might slow blood clotting. Taking capsicum along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.

Some medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and others.

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Theophylline
Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Talk with your health provider.

Capsicum can increase how much theophylline the body can absorb. Taking capsicum along with theophylline might increase the effects and side effects of theophylline.

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Medications for high blood pressure (ACE inhibitors)
Interaction Rating: Minor Be cautious with this combination.
Talk with your health provider.

Some medications for high blood pressure might cause a cough. There is one report of someone whose cough worsened when using a cream with capsicum along with these medications for high blood pressure. But is it not clear if this interaction is a big concern.

Some medications for high blood pressure include captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), ramipril (Altace), and others.

Dosing considerations for Capsicum.

The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

APPLIED TO THE SKIN:

• For pain, including arthritis, neuropathy, and fibromyalgia: Creams contain the active capsicum constituent capsaicin and are typically applied 3-4 times daily. It can take up to 14 days for maximum pain relief. Most creams contain 0.025% to 0.075% capsaicin concentrations. Higher power preparations may be used for diabetic neuropathy.
• For back pain: Capsicum-containing plasters providing 11 mg capsaicin/plaster or 22 mcg/cm2 of plaster applied have been used. The plaster is applied once daily in the morning and left in place for 4-8 hours.
• For prurigo nodularis: 0.025% to 0.3% of the active capsicum constituent capsaicin 4-6 times daily has been used.

Be sure to wash your hands after applying capsaicin cream. A diluted vinegar solution works well. You won't be able to get the capsaicin off with just water. Don't use capsicum preparations near the eyes or on sensitive skin. It could cause burning.

INSIDE THE NOSE:

• For cluster headache, 0.1 mL of a 10 mM capsaicin suspension, providing 300 mcg/day of capsaicin, applied to the nostril on the painful side of the head. Apply the suspension once daily until the burning sensation disappears. A capsaicin 0.025% cream (Zostrix, Rodlen Laboratories) applied daily for 7 days has been used to treat acute cluster headache attacks.

Putting capsaicin in the nose can be very painful, so a local painkilling medicine such as lidocaine is often put into the nose first.