Sharps

Externally or internally used herbal drugs of different provenance and structure, which are perceived as pungent. Pungent substances excite the pain receptors and/or the heat receptors of the skin and/or mucous membrane (cf. the opposite effect of the excitation of cold receptors by menthol). Pungent substances are produced by plants to protect root systems or fruits from predators.

Known are > 30 different pungent substances, which are present in plants of different composition and concentration.

Acid amides: This group of pungent drugs includes capsaicin, peperin, sanshool. The most important representatives are capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin and nordihydrocapsaicin. Capsaicin excites a receptor belonging to the receptor family of the "Transient Receptor Potential" receptor group(TRP receptors), which plays an essential role in cutaneous nociception (see below Capsaicin receptor). Note: Attempts to attenuate the effects of capsaicin, e.g. in chilli, by drinking water or other beverages are futile. Aqueous cold drinks cause a short-term cooling effect, but lead to an intensification of the burning sensation via a further distribution of the capsaicin. Milk promptly relieves the burning sensation.

Pepper: The pungent drug contained is the alkaloid piperine. The percentage of all piperine-like compounds in peppercorns is about 5%.

Szechuan pepper: The pungent drugs contained are various amides, which account for up to 3% of the contents of the seed pods.

Chili pepper: The pungent drugs contained are capsaicin and other capsaicinoids.

Mustard oils: The mustard oil pungents contained in mustard or horseradish belong to the isothiocyanates (allyl mustard oil), volatile oils which contribute to the pungency of mustard or horseradish, for example. Sinalbin and sinigrin are representatives of this group. Mustard oil glycosides are also present in some cress species such as watercress and are responsible for their pungency.

Disulfides and thioethers: Garlic contains the sulfur compound allicin as a pungent substance. Allicin is broken down by heat and thus loses its pungency.

Kitchen onion: The pungency of raw onion is caused by the immediate enzymatic release of the volatile propanthial S-oxide (evaporates immediately and causes tear irritation) from isoalliin.

Methylated phenols: The methylated phenolic pungents include gingerols, a group of substances found in ginger root, which are perceived as burning hot. These phenolic compounds also include eugenol (Caryophylli flos), myristicin (found in myristicae semen of nutmeg) and curcurmin (found in Curcuma longa, the turmeric).

The sharpness of a substance is recorded on the so-called Scoville scale.