AMPO - Traditional Food From Tuban, West Java, Indonesia, using Clay as The Ingredient)

Have you ever felt eating a baked clay? What it was like eating a baked clay?

If you maybe a stay at Tuban, Jawa Timur, Indonesia, you will fell it and according to them, the taste is like usual chocolate that we eat.

Food from clay, named the 'Ampo' has become a traditional food in Tuban. That is believed from Tuban community that it can strengthen their digestive system. Even eating clay is also believed to be a drug that can treat several kinds of diseases.

Tuban is the only place in the world who eat baked clay.
Indeed there are other people in the world who like to eat sand, and other strange objects, but no one ate baked clay.

According Rasima, the seller Ampo, saying that there is no special recipe for cooking Ampo. She's just looking for a clean soil free from gravel, then crushed and compacted so that a square form.
Then, overcome it with a stick and shape it like rolls.
Land that has been rolled up and then burned and smoked for 1 hour, then be as a snack or light meal ready to eat.
Rasima usually sell in the market and one day she can have income of about 20000 IDR (about 2 USD) to support her family.
Rasima also said that if she likes to eat when she was a little girl and eat Ampo since Ampo can cool her stomach.

How to make Ampo?

1. Separate Clay With Gravel and Sand

At this stage the clay sorted out between the soft and rough. As well as making dough snacks, then the uniformity of the soil determines the enjoyment and the resulting of snack later.

2. Forms Clay Being Boxes

If we could see, its just like make the pie, yes here too. But its make the dough clay an advanced form of the box. The "chef" shows that the clay is ready to baked. If we can form it into boxes, it means the composition of soil and water were evenly on each piece of dough. Dough characteristics dull clay had not seen from sticking to the palm of the hand.

3. Being Formed Stick / Bars

The clay dough was then formed into sticks, if you look at first glance similar to the manufacture of wafer manufacture stick

4. Baking the Clay

Once the clay is formed into sticks, then baked on a traditional stove until set and dry for about 1 hour. As shown in the drawings, clay placed over the pan to the heating and wood stove.

5. Ready to Serve

After all processes traversed the clay ready to be served at the table to be friends chat.

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Reason Why Sea Has Color

If an object can emit light and objects that emit red light, then the object would look red.
Meanwhile, if an object can not emit light, then the object would appear in color in accordance with the color spectrum of the reflected object.
Meanwhile, the color spectrum that is not reflected will be absorbed by atoms or molecules making up the object.
For example, when illuminated with white light, the leaves will reflect the green color spectrum than the spectrum colors absorb light green leaves look so green.





Then why is an atom or molecule absorbs certain light?
Absorption only occurs if the incident photon energy matches the energy required to move one electron outside the atom or molecule from ground level to excited levels (or from the valence band into the conduction band in solids).
So the absorption spectrum of colors by the constituent atoms or molecules of an object that causes the object reflects a specific color only.
The spectrum of colors that are not absorbed, will be reflected.
And the spectrum of the reflected color is visible to the eye, and make the object to be colored.

Water also Has a Color



Then why is there a clear object alias is colorless like water.
However, it turns out water and other translucent objects actually have color.
Keep in mind that water color is blue, because the water absorbs the sun's light wave (which consists of seven elements of color).
Water molecules are then absorbed the colors and reflects blue color spectrum, and that is visible to our eyes.

But we may not be able to see the blue water was only on the glass of water or a bucket of water alone.
Because the layer of water in the glass does not absorb and reflect enough of the color spectrum that comes to him, so that water can not show the original blue color.
Another case when we look into the swimming pool or even ocean.
The water will reflect the blue color spectrum and absorbs the other colors of the spectrum so that the water appears blue.



With this it is clear why the sea water or water in a swimming pool blue.
However, in addition to the reflected blue water itself, the oceans also contain many other particles.
Starting from the fish, corals, plankton, and so on.
There is also dissolved organic substances in water.
These materials is the one who causes the absorption of sunlight leaving only a dark blue for the ocean.
In addition, the reflection of blue sky in the water also helped to give the role of the blue color of sea water.



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Indonesia Independence Day (Selamat Hari Merdeka! Dirgahayu Indonesia!)

In Indonesia, every August 17th we celebrate our independence day. We get our freedom by bloods and tears. Finally at August 17th 1945, Mr Soekarno and Mr Hatta was proclamating our independence from colonizer. Each Indonesian president has own statement to this Independence day.

Mr. Soekarno
"Sekarang tibalah saatnya kita benar-benar mengambil sikap nasib bangsa dan nasib tanah air kita di dalam tangan kita sendiri. Hanya bangsa yang berani mengambil nasib dalam tangan sendiri akan dapat berdiri dengan kuatnya."
"Now it's time we really took the attitude of the nation's fate and the fate of our homeland in our own hands. Only a nation that dared to take fate in their own hands will be able to stand strong."
(17 Agustus 1945)-(August 17th 1945)




Mr. Muhammad Soeharto
"Pembangunan itu hanya mempunyai arti jika rakyat banyak menikmatinya. Pembangunan yang tidak membawa kemajuan dan kesejahteraan bagi rakyat banyak adalah pembangunan yang gagal. Dan kita tidak boleh gagal."
"Development has meaning only if the people enjoy it. Development that does not bring progress and prosperity for the people ,that development was failed. And we must not fail."
(16 Agustus 1975)-(August 16th 1975)
 


Mr. B.J. Habbibie
"Bangsa Indonésia mempunyai kemampuan dan kualitas yang sama dalam penguasaan Ilmu Pengetahuan dan Téknologi, sekaligus dilengkapi dengan kokohnya Iman dan Takwa."
"The Indonesian nation has the ability and mastery of the same qualities in Science and Technology, as well as equipped with strong faith and godly."
(15 Agustus 1998)-(August 15th 1998)



 
Mr. Abdurrahman Wahid
"Negara kebangsaan Indonésia itu bukanlah milik dari sekelompok orang, tidak terkecuali kelompok mayoritas, baik dalam artian suku, agama, maupun kelas dan kasta. Negara Républik ini adalah milik bangsa Indonésia seluruhnya."
"Indonesian nation-state that does not belong to a group of people, not least the majority, both in terms of ethnicity, religion or class and caste. Republic of Indonesia was the nation's total."
(16 Agustus 2000)-(August 16th 2000)


Mrs. Megawati Soekarnoputri
"Jangan kita lupakan, bahwa tanggung jawab terakhir terhadap masa depan bangsa dan negara tetap terletak di tangan kita sendiri. Kitalah yang harus menetapkan kebijakan dan stratégi yang akan kita anut dan kita laksanakan."
"Let us not forget that the ultimate responsibility to the future of the nation and the state still lies in our own hands. It is we who must establish policies and strategies that will we embrace and our conduct."
(1 Agustus 2003)-(August 1st 2003)



Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
"Atas kerja keras kita semua, di awal abad ini, kita berhasil menunjukkan kepada dunia bahwa Indonésia adalah negara merdeka yang mampu berdiri tegak dan siap bersaing di pentas global."
"For our hard work all of us, at the beginning of this century, we managed to show the world that Indonesia is an independent country that can stand up and be ready to compete on the global stage."
(16 Agustus 2011)-(August 16th 2011)
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Synthetic Oil or Mineral Oil? Which one is better?

Motor or Car Engine Oil

The answer is not as simple as “yes” or “no”. A better question would be:

“Is synthetic oil the best choice for this application? All types of synthetic base oils can be the best choice for certain situations.” That will help you to identifying some situations where they make sense or provide value.

Synthetic Oil

There are plenty of potential benefits to using synthetic oil vs mineral oil, but that doesn’t mean that synthetics are necessarily better. 

Mineral Oil

In order to get value from using a higher-priced synthetic oil, you must ensure that you are utilizing the potential improved performance of those products; and to make those determinations, you need to understand the conditions that allow synthetics to provide that value. To more fully understand this issue, first consider the major advantages of common types of synthetic base oils and then identify the conditions for which these advantages become benefits.

For the sake of brevity, I will not discuss all synthetics, but rather focus on the most common ones –  

PAOs (polyalphaolefins), PAGs (polyalkaline glycol), diester and polyol ester.

Polyalphaolefins (PAOs)

PAOs, often called synthetic hydrocarbons, are probably the most common type of synthetic base oil used today. They are moderately priced, provide excellent performance and have few negative attributes.

PAO base oil is actually similar to mineral oil. The advantage comes from the fact that it is built, rather than extracted and modified, making it more pure. Practically all of the oil molecules are the same shape and size and are completely saturated.

The potential benefits of PAOs are improved oxidative and thermal stability, excellent demulsibility and hydrolytic stability, a high VI, and very low pour point. Most of the properties make PAOs a good selection for temperature extremes – both high operating temperatures and low start-up temperatures. In my opinion, those are the conditions that favor PAO selection. Typical applications for PAOs are engine oils, gear oils and compressor oils.

The negative attributes of PAOs are the price and poor solubility. The low inherent solubility of PAOs creates problems for formulators when it comes to dissolving additives. Likewise, PAOs cannot suspend potential varnish-forming degradation by-products, although they are less prone to create such material.

For the most part, this issue of solubility can be addressed through the addition of other base oils such as diester. The cost issue is really about whether or not you actually get value by utilizing the performance.

Polyalkaline glycols (PAGs or PGs)

PAG base oils have several unique properties that allow them to work very well in certain applications. In general, they have excellent oxidative and thermal stability, very high VI, excellent film strength and an extremely low tendency to leave deposits on machine surfaces. The low deposit-forming tendency is really due to two properties – the oil’s ability to dissolve deposits and the fact that the oil burns clean. So when they are exposed to a very hot surface or subjected to micro-dieseling by entrained air, PAGs are less likely to leave residue that will form deposits. PAGs may also be the only type of base oil with significantly lower fluid friction, which may allow for energy savings. The other unique property of PAGs is the ability to absorb a great deal of water and maintain lubricity.

There are actually two different types of PAGs – one demulisifies and the other absorbs water. The latter can be very useful if you have a compressor that cannot be stopped that is continually contaminated with large amounts of water. The most common applications for PAGs are compressors and critical gearing applications.

The negatives of PAGs are their very high cost and the potential to be somewhat hydrolytically unstable.

Dibasic Acid Ester (Diester)

The properties of diester are somewhat similar to that of PGs. It has excellent oxidative and thermal stability, very high VI and excellent solubility. This excellent solubility makes it a good choice for reciprocating compressors, where valve deposits can be a huge problem. Another common application for diester is in synthetic engine oil. It is often used as an additive with PAO basestocks to provide the necessary solvency for the engine oil’s large additive package. As a side effect, the synthetic engine oil will have excellent detergency. The negative attributes of diester are the high price and poor hydrolytic stability.

Polyol Ester

Polyol ester basestocks have several excellent performance properties, including thermal stability, super-high VI and fire resistance. Of the base oils mentioned in this column, it is probably the best choice for very high-temperature applications. The two most common applications for polyol ester are fire-resistant hydraulic fluids and jet engine oils. They can be used in engine oils and compressor applications, as well. The negative attributes are the same as those for diester.

3 Common Misconceptions about Synthetic Oil

There are at least three common misconceptions about synthetic oil. The first misconception is that a car has to be flushed before using synthetic oil. The second misconception is that motorcycles do not benefit from using synthetic oil. The third misconception about synthetic oil is that your car's warranty will be voided if you use synthetic oil. These misconceptions are founded in a belief that synthetic oil is bad for cars and that you should use conventional oil only.  

There are other misconceptions associated with the use of synthetic oil. You can find these misconceptions published by the makers of synthetic oil. You can go on line for the specifics or contact the manufacturer of the synthetic oil.

1. A Car Needs to Be Flushed

There is a misconception that the car needs to be flushed completely of its conventional oil before you can add synthetic oil. The fact is there is no special preparation that is required when you add synthetic oil to your car. switching to synthetic oil only requires you to start adding it to your engine. The next time you have an oil change ask that synthetic be added completely.

Flushing the car's oil is only necessary if you are experiencing problems with the engine. This includes sludge build up and problems with starting and stopping the engine. An engine flush will solve these problems and you can take the opportunity to substitute your old conventional oil with synthetic oil. 

2. Motorcycles cannot Use Synthetic Oil

Another common misconception about synthetic oil is that motorcycles do not benefit from its use. The fact is that synthetic oil is especially designed for motorcycles and motorcycle use. Many synthetic oil companies make products that are specially designed for motorcycles.

A motorcycle's engine design is best suited for using synthetic oil. A motorcycle high performance makes it the ideal vehicle for using synthetic oil. 

3. Car's Warranty will be Voided

A third misconception about synthetic oil is that the car's warranty will be voided if you use synthetic oil. This is not true with the exception of Mazda brand cars. Mazda brand cars do not permit the use of synthetic oil and any such use will immediately void the car's warranty. No other vehicle brand has such as restriction regarding the use of synthetic oil nor do they have such a prohibition in place. As such using synthetic oil in place of conventional motor oil does not pose any problems for you as long as the vehicle that you own is not a Mazda brand car.

These are a few of the common misconceptions associated with synthetic oil. Other misconceptions can be found online. Any questions that you have regarding the use of synthetic oil should be raised with the manufacturer of the oil or the manufacturer of your car. This is the best source to determine how to use synthetic oil.

Go for ‘Right’ Quality

There are many applications for which synthetic oils provide solutions to tough operating conditions. I have mentioned a few of those here, but there are others. To me, it is not so important to use the “best” quality lubricant in every application, but rather to use the “right” quality.

Synthetic oil is improvement from mineral oil, and that will caused overall synthetic oil better than mineral oil. Synthetic oil has uniform molecular structure and perfectly balance.

The Uniform of molecular structure from the oil

Many people waste money on expensive products that for a number of reasons don’t improve reliability or anything else. One other important thing to remember is that I am discussing the properties of base oils, not finished lubricants. It is quite possible for a finished lubricant using a mineral basestock to offer better performance than a similar product utilizing a synthetic.

So, back to the original question, is synthetic oil better? The answer is yes … and no … or maybe. You’ll have to decide.

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History of Bullet Proof Vest

Body Armor in Middle Age at England

The principle of bullet-proof armor has been developed since the early Middle Ages. Starting from the knight  with iron armor, which can reduce puncture wounds sword or shooting an arrow. Unfortunately with the development of firearms, the protection becomes useless.

Aramid (Kevlar™)

This material was found in 1964, by Stephanie Kwolek, an American chemist, who worked as a researcher at the DuPont company.

Stephanie Kwolek

Aramid is stand for aromatic polyamide. Aramid has a strong structure, tough, has a good impact and also vibration damping, acid and alkaline resistant and besides that can be heated up to 370°C (so is not flammable). Because of that advantages, aramid is also used in the aircraft, tanks, and aerospace (rocket). The products was known as Kevlar™. Kevlar™ is light, and 5 times stronger than steel.

Structure Molecule of Aramid

This fiber is commonly known as Kevlar™ 

The thickness of Kevlar™ layer is less than 1 mm, generally in standard body armor, it contain up to 32 layers and the weight can reach 10 kg.

 
Basic Principle of Bullets Proof Vest

The basic principle of bullets proof vest is reduce as much as possible of kinetic energy of the bullet, by using layers of kevlar, it can absorb energy, so that energy is not enough anymore to make a bullet break through the vest. In absorbing the kinetic energy of bullet, Kevlar™ will deformed inwards and it will be transferred into the pressure to the user's body. The maximum limit pressure should not be more than 4.4 cm (44 mm). If that limit is exceeded, the user will have internal organs injury, which is very dangerous.

Bullet Strike in Bullet Proof Vest

Kevlar™ Deformation

This analogy like goal's net which can hold the kinetic energy of moving ball. The net is contain thight structure of the rope. If the moving ball go through the net, the kinetic energy of the ball will absorb by the net and the rope around will extending and the pressure of the rope will discarged the goal post.
 

The picture above show if the bullet proof armor can fully protect the user but sometime if user is not lucky, something bad will happen. The main purpose of bullet proof armor is only decrease the kinetic energy from the moving bullet then the user will not dead. No matter because of this reducing pressure from bullet, the user will suffer blunt force trauma or broken bone.

Bullet Proof Vest or Ballistic Vest ? 
Bullet Proof Vest divided by Soft Body Armor and Hard Body Armor.

Soft Body Armor

Soft Body Armor type 1

Soft Body Armor type 2

In everyday duty of cop / detective in undercover work prefers a lightweight bulletproof clothing like that. Soft body armor is now mostly made of Aramid Fibers.

Hard Body Armor

Hard Body Armor

Hard body armor is like soft body armor but it adding with several special layer. The layer that used is ceramic (Al2O3 "Alumina"), metal slab, or composite. The weight is heavy and thick and uncomfortable, so no matter is rarely used in daily duty. It only use in high risk duty like military operation or SWAT team operation.

SWAT Team Operation

Standart Level of The Type of Bullet Proof Armor
Standard measurement of bullet proof armor commontly is using NIJ Standart (National Institute of Justice) in America. In this standard, bullet proof armor can devided by several level which is :

• Level I, 
• Level II-A, 
• Level II, 
• Level III-A, 
• Level III, and 
• Level IV. 

Level I is the lowest level. This armor only proofing low caliber bullet.

Level of Bullet Proof Armor

Type of bullet and which level that can protect the user

With using new composite material, the safety level is increasing time by time. But it still have the weakness that is "If you want to safe, use the thick one, but you must carrying that heavy vest". For this condition, the scientist and the military always create new product which is lighter and stronger.

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pH of Your Food. Is It Acid or Alkaline?

pH Meter for Food

A surprising number and variety of physical problems and diseases can be caused by the problem of foods that are acid-producing after digestion. Today the vast majority of the populace in industrialized nations suffers from problems caused by the stress of acidosis, because both modern lifestyle and diet promote acidification of the body's internal environment.

The current typical Western or Eastern diet is largely composed of acid-forming foods (proteins, cereals, sugars). Alkaline-producing foods such as vegetables are eaten in much smaller quantities. Stimulants like tobacco (cigarette), coffee, tea, and alcohol are also extremely acidifying. Stress, and physical activity (both insufficient or excessive amounts) also cause acidification.

Many foods are alkaline-producing by nature, but manufactured processed foods are mostly acid-producing. It is important to consume at least 60% alkaline-producing foods in our diet, in order to maintain health. We need plenty of fresh fruits and particularly vegetables (alkaline-producing) to balance our necessary protein intake (acid-producing). And we need to avoid processed, sugary or simple-carbohydrate foods, not only because they are acid-producing but also because they raise blood sugar level too quickly (high glycemic index therefore fattening); plus they tend to be nutrient-lacking and may be toxic too.

The body maintains correct pH in the blood at all costs, by homeostasis, but that is stressful for the body's systems and resources when the diet is unbalanced in terms of acid-forming foods (the residue after digestion, that is). Within cells it's a different story. Saliva and urine tests show clearly enough the changes in alkalinity or acidity that are caused by diet and lifestyle.

What is the body's pH?

Water is the most abundant compound in the human body, comprising 70% of the body. The body therefore contains a wide range of solutions, which may be more or less acid. pH (potential of Hydrogen) is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution - the ratio between positively charged ions (acid-forming) and negatively charged ions (alkaline-forming.) The pH of any solution is the measure of its hydrogen-ion concentration. The higher the pH reading, the more alkaline and oxygen rich the fluid is.  The lower the pH reading, the more acidic and oxygen deprived the fluid is. The pH range is from 0 to 14, with 7.0 being neutral.  Anything above 7.0 is alkaline, anything below 7.0 is considered acidic.

Human blood pH should be slightly alkaline (7.35 - 7.45). Below or above this range means symptoms and disease. If blood pH moves below 6.8 or above 7.8, cells stop functioning and the body dies. The body therefore continually strives to balance pH. When this balance is compromised many problems can occur.

An imbalanced diet high in acidic-producing foods such as animal protein, sugar, caffeine, and processed foods puts pressure on the body's regulating systems to maintain pH neutrality. The extra buffering required can deplete the body of alkaline minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, making the person prone to chronic and degenerative disease. Minerals are borrowed from vital organs and bones to buffer (neutralize) the acid and safely remove it from the body. Because of this strain, the body can suffer severe and prolonged damage--a condition that may go undetected for years.

pH Range

 

Test Your Body's Acidity or Alkalinity with pH Strips

It is recommended that you test your pH levels to determine if your body's pH needs immediate attention. By using pH test strips (Litmus Paper), you can determine your pH factor quickly and easily in the privacy of your own home. The best time to test your pH is about one hour before a meal and two hours after a meal.

Saliva pH Test:

Simply wet a piece of Litmus Paper with your saliva. While generally more acidic than blood, salivary pH mirrors the blood and tells us what the body retains. It is a fair indicator of the health of the extracellular fluids and their alkaline mineral reserves. The optimal pH for saliva is 6.4 to 6.8. A reading lower than 6.4 is indicative of insufficient alkaline reserves. After eating, the saliva pH should rise to 7.5 or more. To deviate from an ideal salivary pH for an extended time invites illness. If your saliva stays between 6.5 and 7.5 all day, your body is functioning within a healthy range.

Acidosis, an extended time in the acid pH state, can result in rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, lupus, tuberculosis, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, most cancers and many more.  If salivary pH stays too low, the diet should focus on fruit, vegetables and mineral water as well as remove strong acidifiers such as sodas, whole wheat and red meat.

Urine pH Test:

The pH of the urine indicates how the body is working to maintain the proper pH of the blood. The urine reveals the alkaline (building - anabolic) and acid (tearing down - catabolic) metabolic cycles. The pH of urine indicates the efforts of the body via the kidneys, adrenals, lungs and gonads to regulate pH through the buffer salts and hormones. Urine can provide a fairly accurate picture of body chemistry, because the kidneys filter out the buffer salts of pH regulation and provide values based on what the body is eliminating. Urine pH can vary from around 4.5 to 9.0 in extremes, but the ideal range is 6.0 to 7.0. If your urinary pH fluctuates between 6.0 to 6.5 first thing in the morning and between 6.5 and 7.0 in the evening before dinner, your body is functioning within a healthy range.

Urine testing may indicate how well your body is excreting acids and assimilating minerals, especially calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium. These minerals function as "buffers." Buffers are substances that help maintain and balance the body against the introduction of too much acidity or too much alkalinity. Even with the proper amounts of buffers, acid or alkaline levels can become stressful to the body's regulatory systems. When the body produces too many of these acids or alkalis, it must excrete the excess. The urine is the method the body uses to remove any excess acids or alkaline substances that cannot be buffered. If the body's buffering system is overwhelmed, a state of "auto-intoxication" exists, and attention should be given to reducing this stress.

Use the food charts to the right and below to make your lifestyle more alkaline and reap the benefits of vibrant health and abundant energy.

 

pH of Food

It is important that your daily dietary intake of food naturally acts to balance your body pH. To maintain health, the diet should consist of at least 60% alkaline forming foods and at most 40% acid forming foods. To restore health, the diet should consist of 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acid forming foods.

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Positive Aspects of Nicotine Use

Nicotine can be found in tobacco. Tobacco is generally use to make a cigarette.

Tobacco

Dried Tobacco

Do you know that is several positive effect from smoking cigarette? We usually showed many of attention word in the cigarette there are "Smoking can caused cancer, heart attack, impotent, and bad effect of pregnancy". But, I found positive aspects of nicotine use. They are for emotional and physiologist, for lower blood pressure. For further information, you can see below :

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Chillis, Capsaicin, and Scoville

Chilli is hot. Chilli can make burning sensasion. Many kind of species of chilli in the world. But in this cause I will tell you about :

1. Capsaicin
2. Scoville
3. Chilli by Zero Scoville Heat Units

Capsaicin

(8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide,(CH3)2CHCH=CH(CH2)4CONHCH2C6H3-4-(OH)-3-(OCH3))

 

 

 is the active component of chili peppers, which are plants belonging to the genus Capsicum. It is an irritant for mammals, including humans, and produces a sensation of burning in any tissue with which it comes into contact. Capsaicin and several related compounds are called capsaicinoids and are produced as a secondary metabolite by chili peppers, probably as deterrents against certain herbivores and fungi. Pure capsaicin is a hydrophobic, colorless, odorless, crystalline to waxy compound.

 

Capsaicin compound was first extracted (albeit in impure form) in 1816 by Christian Friedrich Bucholz (1770–1818). He called it "capsicin," after the genus Capsicum from which it was extracted. Capsaicin was first isolated in pure, crystalline form in 1876 by John Clough Thresh (1850–1932), who gave it the name "capsaicin". In 1873 German pharmacologist Rudolf Buchheim (1820–1879) and in 1878 the Hungarian doctor Endre Hőgyes stated that "capsicol" (partially purified capsaicin) caused the burning feeling when in contact with mucous membranes and increased secretion of gastric juice. The structure of capsaicin was partly elucidated by E. K. Nelson in 1919. Capsaicin was first synthesized in 1930 by E. Spath and S. F. Darling. In 1961, similar substances were isolated from chili peppers by the Japanese chemists S. Kosuge and Y. Inagaki, who named them capsaicinoids.

 

Capsaicin is present in large quantities in the placental tissue (which holds the seeds), the internal membranes and, to a lesser extent, the other fleshy parts of the fruits of plants in the genus Capsicum. The seeds themselves do not produce any capsaicin, although the highest concentration of capsaicin can be found in the white pith around the seeds. The seeds of Capsicum plants are predominantly dispersed by birds. Birds do not have the receptor to which capsaicin binds, so it does not function as an irritant for them. Chili pepper seeds consumed by birds pass through the digestive tract and can germinate later, but mammals have molars, which destroy seeds and prevent them from germinating. Thus, natural selection[citation needed] may have led to increasing capsaicin production because it makes the plant less likely to be eaten by animals that do not help it reproduce. There is also evidence that capsaicin evolved as an anti-fungal agent, and capsaicinoids are broadly anti-microbial. In 2006, it was discovered that tarantula venom activates the same pathway of pain as is activated by capsaicin, the first demonstrated case of such a shared pathway in both plant and animal anti-mammal defense.

 

Here, 10 things you should know about capsaicin:

1.Capsaicin is the active component of chili peppers.
Capsaicin is actually an irritant to humans, producing a burning sensation in any tissue it touches. Capsaicin works by depleting or interfering with substance P, a chemical involved in transmitting pain impulses to the brain. The properties of capsaicin make it an option for relieving pain associated with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetic neuropathy. Capsaicin is used to relieve muscle pain, joint pain, or nerve pain.

2.Capsaicin is available over the counter.
You do not need a prescription for capsaicin from your doctor. You can find products containing capsaicin in your drugstore for over-the-counter purchase. You should follow the directions given by your doctor or the directions on the label (there are different dosages or strengths of capsaicin available). For pain relief, capsaicin is usually used 3 or 4 times a day. You should rub the capsaicin cream or gel into the painful area until no more cream is visible on the skin.

Wash hands thoroughly after applying capsaicin to other areas of the body. If the capsaicin was applied for hand pain, however, wash your hands after 30 minutes.
 

3.Don't use extra doses of capsaicin.
Stick to the directions, but if you should inadvertently miss a dose, use it as soon as you remember -- unless it's close to the time of the next dose.

 

4.Capsaicin has no known drug interactions.Though there are no recognized drug interactions with capsaicin, ask your doctor to be sure that you can use capsaicin, and continue to take your current medications. It's important to inform your doctor about any products you are using.
 

5.Capsaicin may cause a burning sensation.
You will likely experience a warm, burning, stinging sensation when you begin using capsaicin. The sensation, which is expected when beginning use, may actually continue for 2 to 4 weeks. The sensation should lessen the longer you use capsaicin. Reducing the number of daily doses of capsaicin will not reduce the sensation, but it may reduce the pain relief achieved.
 

6.Arthritis pain relief is not immediate.
Even with regular use of capsaicin, arthritis pain relief will take some time. Pain relief from arthritis typically is evident 1 to 2 weeks after starting capsaicin. To prevent pain from returning, capsaicin must be continued. However, if pain is not better after using capsaicin for 3 or 4 weeks, talk to your doctor. It may not be worth it to continue.
 

7.Capsaicin must be handled with care.Be aware of what can happen if you get capsaicin in your eyes or on other sensitive body parts because of the burning sensation it causes. If capsaicin gets in your eyes, immediately flush your eyes with water. To rid other sensitive areas of capsaicin and the burning feeling, wash the areas with warm soapy water. Keep capsaicin out of reach of children.
 

8.Some people should not use capsaicin.There are warnings about using capsaicin under certain circumstances. Before using capsaicin, tell your doctor about:

    * broken skin
    * skin irritation
    * previous allergic reactions to capsaicin, hot peppers, other drugs, dyes, foods, preservatives
    * breastfeeding
    * pregnancy or current attempts to become pregnant

Also, be aware that capsaicin should not be used by children under 2 years of age.
 

9.Research supports use of capsaicin for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.A study from 1991 involved 70 osteoarthritis patients and 31 rheumatoid arthritis patients. Patients were instructed to apply 0.025% capsaicin or placebo to painful knees, four times a day. Results revealed that 80% of patients treated with capsaicin experienced pain reduction following two weeks of treatment. 

 

10.Research also supports the use of capsaicin for osteoarthritis of the hands.Capsaicin 0.075% was evaluated for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis in a 4-week study, published in 1992. All of the study participants had significant hand pain and applied capsaicin to their hands 4 times daily. It was found that capsaicin reduced tenderness and pain in osteoarthritis of the hand patients, but not rheumatoid arthritis patients when compared to placebo. 

Scoville 

The Scoville scale is a measurement of the spicy heat (or piquance) of a chili pepper. The number of Scoville heat units (SHU) indicates the amount of capsaicin present. Capsaicin is a chemical compound that stimulates chemoreceptor nerve endings in the skin, especially the mucous membranes. The scale is named after its creator, American chemist Wilbur Scoville. His method, devised in 1912, is known as the Scoville Organoleptic Test. The modern commonplace method for quantitative analysis uses high-performance liquid chromatography, making it possible to directly measure capsaicinoid content.

The chilis with the highest rating on the Scoville scale exceed one million Scoville units, and include specimens of naga jolokia or bhut jolokia and its cultivars, the "Dorset naga" and the "Ghost chili," neither of which has official cultivar status. The Naga Viper currently holds the unofficial title for hottest pepper. It was produced in the UK by crossing the three hottest peppers known to the world, including the Bhut jolokia. Researchers at Warwick University tested the Naga Viper and found that it measures 1,359,000 on the Scoville scale. It should be noted that a chilli trial carried out by a team from the BBC's Gardeners' World programme put the heat value of Dorset Naga at a staggering 1.6 million SHU. Those levels were tested by Warwick HRI. However, this is not the average Scoville Heat Unit level of the pepper, nor was this submitted to any world record holder. Numerical results for any specimen vary depending on its cultivation conditions and the uncertainty of the laboratory methods used to assess the capsaicinoid content.

 

Chilli by Zero Scoville Heat Units

Bell Pepper, Cubanelle, Aji Dulce ( have 0 point of SHU )

Bell Pepper

Cubanelle

Aji Dulce (They're sweet, not spicy)

 

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