Du Mez—The Galenical Oleoresins. 
1017 
OLEORESIN OF CAPSICUM 
Synonyms 
Aetherische Spanishpfefferextrakt, Nat. Disp. 1884. 
Capsicum, 1 Ohem. & Drugg. (1913), 82, p. 470. 
Capsicol, Vierteljahrschr. f. prakt. Pharm. (1873), 22, p. 507. 
Ethereal Extract of Capsicum, Am. Journ. Pharm. (1849), 21, p. 114. 
Extractum Capsici aethereum, Hirch, Univ. P. 1902, No. 1905. 
Oleoresin of Bed Pepper, Stevens, Pharm. and Disp. (1909), p. 255. 
Oleoresina Capsici, U. S. P. 1910. 
OleorCsine de Capsique, U. S. Disp. 1907. 
Spanishpfeffer extract, Nat. Disp. 1884. 
Spanishpfeffer-Oelharz, Nat. Disp. 1884. 
History 
The oleoresin of capsicum appears to have been first prepared 
by Procter in 1849, and it was through his efforts that it was 
introduced into the United States Pharmacopoeia of 1860. Up 
to the present time, no such preparation appears in any of the 
foreign pharmacopoeias. A similar preparation known as capsi- 
cin has, however, been in use in Europe since 1873. 2 
Drug Used , Its Collection , Preservation , Etc. 
The drug directed to be used by the present edition of the 
United States Pharmacopoeia is “the dried ripe fruits of Capsi¬ 
cum fructescens Linne 3 (Fam. Solanaceae), without the presence 
or admixture of more than 2 per cent, of stems, calyxes or other 
foreign matter.” The preceding editions of the Pharmacopoeia 
since 1880 have specified the use of the species known as Capsi¬ 
cum fastigiatum Blume. The change is evidently due to the 
fact that the leading commercial varieties of Cayenne pepper 
are at the present time being received from Africa and Japan and 
1 For other uses of the term capsicin, see under “Chemistry of capsicum 
and its oleoresin.” 
2 Buchheim states that capsicin (the ethereal extract of capsicum) was 
being prepared and sold by Merck of Darmstadt in 1873. Vierteljahrschr. 
f. prakt. Pharm. (1873), 22, p. 507. 
Capsicin, as found on the market in England, is stated to be indefinite in 
that it may be an alcoholic, a chloroformic, an ethereal or an acetone prep¬ 
aration. Chem. and Drugg. (1913), 82, p. 470. 
3 This is also the species recognized by the French Pharmacopoeia. In the 
other European pharmacopoeias, in which this drug occurs, it is usually the 
the larger fruited variety, Capsicum annum, which is designated. 
