Traditional Uses of Capsicum Plasters Across Cultures

Author: Kongdy Patch

Date: 03 13，2025

Long before modern pharmaceutical companies packaged and marketed capsicum plasters, various cultures worldwide recognized the therapeutic potential of chili peppers applied topically. This cross-cultural appreciation for capsicum's healing properties demonstrates a remarkable convergence of traditional medical wisdom.

In traditional Chinese medicine, practitioners have used "hot pepper patches" for centuries to address what they describe as stagnant qi and blood circulation, particularly effective for treating cold-pattern conditions. These applications typically combine powdered red peppers with medicinal herbs pressed between layers of cloth or paper and applied to affected areas.

Similarly, Korean folk medicine embraced capsicum-based remedies, incorporating them into poultices for treating arthritis and joint stiffness, especially during cold winter months when musculoskeletal complaints intensified among agricultural workers.

Across the ocean, indigenous peoples of Central and South America, where chili peppers originated, developed sophisticated applications of capsicum for pain relief. The Mayans and Aztecs created early versions of pepper plasters by combining ground chilies with various botanical binders to create adhesive pain-relieving patches.

European folk medicine adopted capsicum therapies after explorers returned with chili peppers from the Americas. By the 18th century, capsicum plasters had become standard features in European medicinal handbooks.

In modern times, capsicum plasters represent a fascinating example of traditional medicine validated by contemporary science. The active ingredient capsaicin is now recognized for its ability to deplete substance P, a neurotransmitter involved in pain signaling.

Today's users of capsicum plasters participate in a therapeutic tradition spanning continents and centuries, demonstrating how ancient wisdom sometimes anticipates scientific discovery. As interest in integrative medicine grows, these traditional remedies continue to find relevance in contemporary pain management approaches.