 VN
(Synthetic OC Pepper Ingredient)
Law enforcement
trainers and firearms instructors should be aware of VN
(also called PAVA or VP). This new synthetic ingredient
is currently being used in only one brand of pepper sprays
(Pepper Ball™ ) instead of natural chili pepper. Capsaicin
is a safe and natural ingredient responsible for hotness
of chili peppers found in most OC sprays. Scientific data
shows that VN differs from Capsaicin. Natural capsaicin
has a higher SHU than VN.
| Name |
SHU
Pungency |
| Capsaicin
(natural) |
16,000,000 |
| N-Vanillyl
nonanamide (VN) |
9,200,000 |
Toxicity data
resulted in VN having a lethal dose of 8 milligram per each
kilogram of body weight, whereas Capsaicin is greater than
>120. This illustrates that very little amount
of VN causes greater lethality in laboratory and that Capsaicin
is at least 15 times less toxic than VN.
References
Newman, A.A., Natural and Synthetic pepper flavored substances
(2-6), Chem. Prod. London. 16, 379, 1953: 17, 1954. Szolcsanyi,
J. and Jansco-Gabor, A., Sensory Effects of Capsaicin Congeners.
I. Relationship Between Chemical Structure and Pain-Producing
Potency of Punget Agents. Arzneim-Forsch. Drug Res., 25.
1877, 1975.
|
