Nonivamide Explained

Heat:Above peak
Scoville:9,200,000[1]

Nonivamide, also called pelargonic acid vanillylamide or PAVA, is an organic compound and a capsaicinoid. It is an amide of pelargonic acid (n-nonanoic acid) and vanillyl amine. It is present in chili peppers,[2] but is commonly manufactured synthetically. It is more heat-stable than capsaicin.

Nonivamide is used as a food additive to add pungency to seasonings, flavorings, and spice blends. It is also used in the confectionery industry to create a hot sensation, and in the pharmaceutical industry in some formulations as a cheaper alternative to capsaicin.

Like capsaicin, it can deter mammals (but not birds or insects) from consuming plants or seeds (e.g. squirrels and bird feeder seeds).[3] This is consistent with nonivamide's role as a TRPV1 ion channel agonist. Mammalian TRPV1 is activated by heat and capsaicin, but the avian form is insensitive to capsaicin.[4]

Nonivamide is used (under the name PAVA) as the payload in "less-lethal munitions" such as the FN Herstal's FN 303 projectiles[5] or as the active ingredient in most pepper sprays,[3] which may be used as a chemical weapon.[6] As a chemical irritant, pepper sprays have been used both as a riot control munition and also a weapon to disperse peaceful demonstrators; they have also been used in other contexts, such as military or police training exercises.[6] While irritants commonly cause only "transient lacrimation, blepharospasm, superficial pain, and disorientation," their use and misuse also presents serious risks of more severe injury and disability.[6]

Treatment

Nonivamide is not soluble in water, however water will dilute it and wash it away. One study found that milk of magnesia, baby shampoo, 2% lidocaine gel, or milk, did not demonstrate significantly better performance than water, when used on pepper spray.[7]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Govindarajan, Sathyanarayana . 1991 . Capsicum — Production, Technology, Chemistry, and Quality. Part V. Impact on Physiology, Pharmacology, Nutrition, and Metabolism; Structure, Pungency, Pain, and Desensitization Sequences . Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition . 29 . 6 . 435–474 . 10.1080/10408399109527536 . 2039598.
  2. Howard L. Constant, Geoffrey A. Cordell and Dennis P. West . Nonivamide, a Constituent of Capsicum oleoresin . J. Nat. Prod. . 1996 . 59 . 4 . 425–426 . 10.1021/np9600816.
  3. http://www.aversiontech.com/hot-and-spicy/nonivamide-pava/Retrieved 16 July 2010
  4. 10.1039/C4FO00435C . Capsaicin, nonivamide and trans-pellitorine decrease free fatty acid uptake without TRPV1 activation and increase acetyl-coenzyme a synthetase activity in Caco-2 cells . Food & Function . 6 . 172–184 . 2015 . Rohm . Barbara . Riedel . Annett . Ley . Jakob P . Widder . Sabine . Krammer . Gerhard E . Somoza . Veronika . 1 . 25422952 . free.
  5. Web site: The FN 303 Less Lethal Launcher. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130504083508/http://www.fnhusa.com/r/training/training_faq_tabs/303-launcher/. 2013-05-04. 2013-04-14.
  6. Haar . Rohini J. . Iacopino . Vincent . Ranadive . Nikhil . Weiser . Sheri D. . Dandu . Madhavi . Health impacts of chemical irritants used for crowd control: a systematic review of the injuries and deaths caused by tear gas and pepper spray . BMC Public Health . 19 October 2017 . 17 . 1 . 831 . 10.1186/s12889-017-4814-6 . 29052530 . 5649076 . free .
  7. Barry . James D. . Hennessy . Robert . McManus . John G. . A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Treatment Regimens for Acute Pain for Topical Oleoresin Capsaicin (Pepper Spray) Exposure in Adult Volunteers . Prehospital Emergency Care . January 2008 . 12 . 4 . 432–437 . 10.1080/10903120802290786 . 18924005 . 12262260 .

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