CHILLI REDUCES OR ELIMINATES FEVER

CAPSICUM FRUTESCENS LINN

Chilli is a perennial plant of tropical countries. The fruit is green or red and varies in size. It is a many-seeded pod. The more tropical the climate, the more pungent the fruit. Most of the Indian curries have at least a pinch of the powdered chilli to give it the ‘right’ taste. Foreigners who taste the pungent Indian curries state that they “have had a foretaste of hell!”

Medicinal use:

• Helps in digestion if used in very small quantities.
• Stimulates appetite.
• Purifies the blood.
• Alters the process of nutrition and excretion and restores the normal function of the body.
• Reduces or eliminates fever.
• Strengthens and gives tone to the stomach.
• Gives tone and vitality to the body.
• Externally used to give relief from rheumatism, arthritis, chest pain and inflammation of the pericardium.
• For relief from toothaches, inflamed tonsils and early stages of throat diseases in children.

How to use:

• The fruits taken in infusion helps stomach and bowel cramps.
• Consumption of small quantities of fresh fruit, will stimulate appetite.
• Externally used, the chilli powder can be applied as a plaster to afflicted areas for treating rheumatism, arthritis, chest pain and inflamed pericardium i.e., the lining of the heart.
• The decoction of the leaves is good for gargling.
• For toothache, extract the juice from the fruit, dip a cotton ball in it, and after cleaning the cavity introduce the juice.
• In early stages of certain throat diseases and inflamed tonsils the application of the fruit juice is helpful. Wet a cloth with the infusion of the fruit, and place it around the neck. At the same time a small amount of infusion can be taken internally.
• Powdered fruit may be used in pill form or capsules.

Parts used:
The leaves and fruit.

Dose:
1 tablespoon for a cup of water by infusion. Use one tablespoon at a time.

Caution:
Prolonged application to the skin may cause inflammation. Excessive internal use can cause inflammation of both the stomach and the intestines and also cause kidney problems. As it is a strong natural stimulant it should not be used regularly with food.