Cayenne has been a culinary and medicinal staple since Christopher Columbus first introduced it to the Old World. It is a popular spice used in many different regional styles of cooking, but it has also been used medicinally for thousands of years. Cayenne is often referred to as chilli, which is the Aztec name for cayenne pepper. It is a stimulating herb made from the dried pods of chilli peppers and is well known for its pungent taste and smell. The main medicinal properties of cayenne are derived from a chemical called capsaicin. Other constituents of cayenne are vitamins E, vitamin C and carotenoids. Today cayenne is used worldwide to treat a variety of health conditions, including poor circulation, weak digestion, heart disease, chronic pain, sore throats, headaches and toothache.