Synthesis and Analytical Determination of Capsaicin

Capsaicin (CAP) is an alkaloid isolated from the fruits of Capsicum frutescens.L (Solaneceae). Capsaicin is the main capsaicinoid in chilies, followed by dihydrocapsaicin. Capsaicin (trans-8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) is a crystalline, lipophilic, colorless, and odorless alkaloid with the molecular formula C18H27NO3. Its molecular weight is 305.40 g/mol. Capsaicin, as a member of the vanilloid family, binds to a receptor called thevanilloid receptor subtype 1 (TRPV1). First cloned in 1997, TRPV1 is an ion channel-type receptor. TRPV1, which can also be stimulated with heat, protons and physical abrasion, permits cations to pass through the cell membrane when activated. Chemically it is a fat soluble phenolic compound which imparts pungent taste even if it is diluted to one part in eleven million parts of water [1].