Friday, February 17, 2012

Transporting plants between EU member states

Interesting question from a colleague today,
they plan to take a few chilli plants to our office in Romania and wanted
to know if there were restrictions on transporting plants through customs.

According to the RHS,
" Within the European Union (EU) there are no border checks for plants and plant products travelling between member states and, it is possible, to import and export plants freely with very few exceptions. "
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=435

Good to know

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Chilli seedlings recently germinated

Need to sow a lot more as everyone at work wants a plant



Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Not many pics this time of year, so some science if anyone is interested : )

Capsicum Overview

Other common name(s): capsaicin, cayenne, chili pepper, hot pepper, red pepper, paprika, pimiento, long pepper, conoids

Scientific/medical name(s):
Capsicum annum, Capsicum frutescens

Description
Capsicum is the name of a group of annual plants in the nightshade (Solanaceae) family. They are native to Mexico and Central America but are cultivated for food in many warmer regions of the world. Capsicum varieties include the cayenne pepper, jalapeño pepper, other hot peppers, and paprika. Capsaicin is the most-studied active ingredient in the plant and has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use on the skin.
Overview
Although little research has been reported using the whole Capsicum annum or Capsicum frutescens plant for people with cancer, capsaicin (a major active ingredient) has been studied in oral and topical forms. Several studies have shown that capsaicin may be somewhat useful for managing pain related to surgery and mouth sores due to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. However, more research is needed on other uses of capsaicin and to find out whether the whole herb is helpful for treating or preventing illness.

Source(http://tiny.cc/wccwy)

Capsaicin used for pain relief
Medicinal chemistry of the vanilloid (Capsaicin) TRPV1 receptor: current knowledge and future perspectives
In peripheral sensory neurons, the vanilloid receptor TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid subfamily, member 1) functions as a molecular integrator of painful stimuli, including those mediated by capsaicin, acid, and heat. Antagonist blockade of TRPV1 activation is under investigation by several pharmaceutical companies in an effort to identify novel agents for pain management. TRPV1 is also expressed, albeit at lower levels, in the brain and in non-neuronal tissues, where its function(s) remains elusive.

The contribution of TRPV1 receptor activity to physiological reflexes and disease states is complex and is only beginning to be understood. Consequently, the resultant effects of TRPV1 antagonists on the body may be unforeseen. Indeed, clinical trials with a number of TRPV1 antagonists were recently terminated due to their marked hyperthermic activity. In this review article, the medicinal chemistry of TRPV1 antagonists is discussed inasmuch as it relates to the efficacy, safety, tolerability and potential side effects of these compounds.

In addition, the available information on the current status of the clinical trials with TRPV1 antagonists is summarized. Drug Dev Res 68:477–497, 2007. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Source (http://tiny.cc/c97av)

....Ok when I get some time I'll try and decode the above into something a bit less sciency, essentially the article is looking at how Capsaicin may block pain receptors in the body  : )