---

Alternative pain relief

Millions of people suffer pain due to inflamation of connective tissue, including joints and other body parts. The suffering which is encountered ranges from mild soreness to debilitating pain which prevents any motion of the afflicted body part. Pain results from the noxious stimulation of nerve endings. Nociceptive pain is caused by noxious stimulation of nociceptors, which then transmit impulses over intact neural pathways to the spinal neurons and then to the brain. Neuropathic pain is caused by damage to neural structures, such as damage to peripheral nerve endings or nociceptors, which become extremely sensitive to stimulation and can generate impulses in the absence of stimulation. Peripheral nerve damage can lead to pathological states where there is a reduction in pain threshold (i.e., allodynia), an increased response to noxious stimuli (hyperalgesia), or an increased response duration (persistent pain). At the present, pain and inflammation are commonly treated by the use of aspirin, ibuprofen, and other similar substances commonly known as NSAIDs. In contrast to pain treatment with systemic agents, pain can be treated locally by topically administering a local anesthetic directly to the painful area to block the nociceptive mechanistic pathway. Local anesthetics prevent the generation and conduction of nociceptive nerve impulses. Thus, for example, a local anesthetic can be injected intradermally (non-systemic injection within the skin) or topically applied at the pain area. Advantages of topical local-anesthetic administration over systemic administration of pain relievers include decrease or preclusion of side effects, improved patient compliance, and reversible action. The use of capsaicin is known for the treatment of a number of pain disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, diabetic neuropathy, psoriasis, pruritus (itching), cluster, headache, post-surgical pain, oral pain, and pain caused by injury, amongst others. Capsaicin works by depleting a compound called Substance P, which is a neuropeptide that functions as a neurotransmitter and promotes pain perception, from the nerve terminal fibers. Today, many consumers seek natural alternatives to synthetic pharmaceutical products to aid with a variety of ailments experienced during daily life. Thus, dietary food supplements containing natural substances such as St. Johns wort, gingko biloba, ginseng, and others have recently been marketed for a variety of purposes. Many consumers prefer natural substances to synthetic drugs. Therefore, there is a need for a natural and pharmacologically acceptable composition for use in relieving or alleviating pain, inflammation, and the symptoms associated with these conditions. In addition, there is a need for a natural composition that provides relief from pain and inflammation with minimal side effects to the gastrointestinal system.

---