For this article, Steve Bunk interviewed David J. Julius, assistant professor of cellular and molecular pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco. Data from the Web of Science (ISI, ...

I love the spicy taste of salsa, but I always keep a glass of milk handy. I talked about why milk calms the spicy feeling with my friend Emily Cukier. She’s a chemistry librarian at Washington State ...

A common belief is that spicy food damages the stomach or causes ulcers. In reality, ulcers are typically caused by bacterial ...

The chemical that makes chili peppers so hot evolved to keep animals from eating the plants. How does a chili pepper make your mouth feel like its on fire? When you eat peppers, capsaicin molecules ...

Genetically, some people are born with fewer receptors for capsaicin, which is the compound that makes hot foods taste and feel hot. These lucky individuals start life with built-in advantages.

Spicy food lovers know the thrill of the burn. That fiery sensation on the tongue and lips can be exhilarating, adding a whole new dimension to a meal. But sometimes, that heat can travel further down ...

Spicy food can transform any meal into a sensory experience — pain, pleasure, even breaking a sweat can take flavors to the next level. While some like it hot, dialing up the heat may ruin a meal for ...

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Concentric Analgesics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel, non-opioid pain therapeutics, today announced ...