The metabolism in rats of dihydrocapsaicin, a pungent principle of hot pepper, was investigated in vivo and in vitro by thin-layer chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography and combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Within 48 hr of oral administration of dihydrocapsaicin (20 mg/kg body weight) to male adult rats, unchanged dihydrocapsaicin and eight of its metabolites were identified in urine; i.e., dihydrocapsaicin (8.7% of total dose), vanillylamine (4.7%), vanillin (4.6%), vanillyl alcohol (37.6%) and vanillic acid (19.2%) as free forms and/or their glucuronides. The proportions of free and glucuronide metabolites in urine were 14.5% and 60.5% of the total dose. Part of the unchanged dihydrocapsaicin (10% of total dose) was excreted into the feces within 48 hr. Cell-free extracts of rat liver catalyzed the hydrolysis of dihydrocapsaicin to vanillylamine and 8-methyl nonanoic acid. The former compound was further transformed to vanillin in situ. Dihydrocapsaicin-hydrolyzing enzyme activity was found in various organs of rat. The activity was located mainly in the liver. On the basis of the present data, the metabolic pathway of dihydrocapsaicin in rats was proposed.

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