Forensic Sci Int. 2001 Dec; 124(1): 43-6.

A fatal case of pepper poisoning.

Snyman T, Stewart MJ, Steenkamp V.

Indigenous Toxicology Unit, Department of Chemical Pathology, SAIMR, University of the Witwatersrand Medical School, Johannesburg, South Africa.

An 8 month old infant died as the result of administration of a traditional remedy, given orally as an infusion of a red powder. The symptoms on admission were coughing with diarrhoea and vomiting. Analysis of the powder using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) confirmed the suspicion of capsaicin. Pepper preparations, which are used as traditional medicines, are highly toxic and their use on infants should be discouraged.