Capsaicin vs Piperine: what is the difference?
Capsaicin from chilli and piperine from black pepper trip the same heat receptor, but capsaicin is over a hundred times hotter and its burn lingers longer.
Sources and notes
- The sentence under the titlefrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notesThe pair's answer line.
- The two drawingscomputedMoleculeFinder rule (RDKit MCS)Each molecule's own drawing, as its page shows it. The common core, 7 of 22 atoms, is too small to align on.
Side by side
| Capsaicin | Piperine | |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular weightCalculated PubChem | 305.4 g/molC18H27NO3 | 285.34 g/molC17H19NO3 |
| Hydrogen-bond donorsCalculated PubChem | 2 | 0 |
| HeatCalculated SHU from capsaicinoid content (HPLC) | 16,000,000 SHU | 100,000 SHU |
| Pure compound, not a sauce or a pepper. | ||
| Where each turns upEditorial MoleculeFinder food and product lists |
|
|
| FamilyEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Phenolic compounds | Plant alkaloids |
| Everyday groupEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Plant | Plant |
| Chemical groupsCalculated Found by rule (RDKit) | Aromatics, Amides, Phenols, Ethers | Aromatics, Amides, Ethers |
| Hazard labelReported ECHA, HSDB via PubChem; ECHA via PubChem | Danger | Danger |
| The supplier-filed hazard label's signal word, not a statement about ordinary use. | ||
| Oral LD50Measured HSDB via PubChem | 47.2 mg/kgpure capsaicin, mouse, oral | Not recorded |
| A single acute animal measure. It ranks nothing about human safety. | ||
Sources and notes
- Molecular weightcomputedPubChemComputed from the structure; the formula is under each weight.
- Hydrogen-bond donorscomputedPubChemThe hydrogens on nitrogen or oxygen that each molecule can lend to a hydrogen bond, counted from its structure.
- HeatcomputedSHU from capsaicinoid content (HPLC)
- Where each turns upfrom sourceMoleculeFinder food and product listsEach amount is an editorial figure from our lists, not a measurement of any one product. Each mark is set by hand on the list, never inferred.
- Familyfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Everyday groupfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Chemical groupscomputedFound by rule (RDKit)Each group is found in the structure by a chemical pattern.
- Hazard labelfrom sourceECHA, HSDB via PubChem; ECHA via PubChem
- Oral LD50from sourceHSDB via PubChem
- ECHAfrom sourceAttributionSource: European Chemicals Agency, echa.europa.eu.
- Identifiersfrom sourcePubChemPubChem CID 1548943 (Capsaicin) and 638024 (Piperine).
In more detail
Both are the heat in a spice and they act on the same receptor with very different force. Capsaicin from chilli and piperine from black pepper both activate TRPV1, the nerve channel that reports heat and physical damage, which is why both feel like burning even though nothing is hot. Capsaicin is far the stronger, at roughly 16,000,000 Scoville units in pure form against piperine's 100,000, a difference of over a hundredfold. They also differ in the character of the heat: capsaicin builds and lingers, and piperine bites sharply and fades. Structurally capsaicin carries a long fatty tail on a vanillyl amide, and piperine is a compact ring system, which is why capsaicin is the more fat-soluble and harder to wash out with water.
Sources and notes
- The paragraphfrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notes
Questions
- What is the difference between Capsaicin and Piperine?
- Capsaicin from chilli and piperine from black pepper trip the same heat receptor, but capsaicin is over a hundred times hotter and its burn lingers longer.
- Is Capsaicin bigger than Piperine?
- Capsaicin is the heavier molecule, 305.4 g/mol against 285.34 g/mol for Piperine. Capsaicin is C18H27NO3 and Piperine is C17H19NO3.
- Is Capsaicin hotter than Piperine?
- Capsaicin is the hotter of the two, 16,000,000 SHU against 100,000 SHU for Piperine. Both figures are for the pure compound, not for a pepper or a sauce.
Sources and notes
- The answersfrom sourceMoleculeFinderThe first is the pair's answer line; the others are read off the table above.