Conclusion: C. frutescens (Cayenne) reduces pain more than placebo. Although H. procumbens, S. alba, S. officinale L., S. chilensis, and lavender essential oil also seem to reduce pain more than placebo, evidence for these substances was of moderate quality at best. Additional well-designed large trials are needed to test these herbal medicines against standard treatments. In general, the completeness of reporting in these trials was poor. Trialists should refer to the CONSORT statement extension for reporting trials of herbal medicine interventions.
PubMed 25536022 ↗Cayenne
People mainly take Cayenne for digestion. Based on 3 first-hand reports and 16 meta-analyses & systematic reviews in the medical literature. Ranked #1561 of 1,974 overall.
Of reports that state an outcome, 0% are positive.
What Cayenne does, according to users
Of the people who reported each effect, the share who said it got better.
What the research says
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses from PubMed, with their published conclusions.
At least one meta-analysis, or 5+ randomized controlled trials. The grade measures how much human research exists — read the conclusions below for what it found.
Conclusion: The current review suggests S. mansoni or S. haematobium co-infection may be associated with increased prevalence of asymptomatic/uncomplicated P. falciparum infection in children, but may protect against high density P. falciparum infection and related reduction in haemoglobin level.
PubMed 27926919 ↗Conclusion: The findings suggest that STH infection may increase susceptibility to asymptomatic/uncomplicated P. falciparum infection but may protect malaria-related anaemia in children. Future studies should investigate the effect of STH infection upon the incidence of severe P. falciparum infection among children in SSA.
PubMed 27306987 ↗Conclusion: Harpagophytum Procumbens, Salix Alba and Capsicum Frutescens seem to reduce pain more than placebo. Additional trials testing these herbal medicines against standard treatments are needed. The quality of reporting in these trials was generally poor. Trialists should refer to the CONSORT statement extension for reporting trials of herbal medicine interventions.
PubMed 16625605 ↗Dosage people report
As stated by users — not a recommendation. Follow the label or your doctor.
Reported side effects
How often each side effect came up across all reports.
What users say
Verbatim quotes, shortened only — each links to the original discussion.
“I took 500mg Cayenne once or twice per day for a few months. Made me sweat heavily during normal temp.”
“Cayene”
“I see things like green tea, cinnamon, mineral sea salt, turmeric, and cayenne as part of my daily stack”
Other options for digestion
User data from public discussions; research from PubMed. Information only, not medical advice — talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. Data updated October 2, 2026. How we rate