Nonivamide,
also called pelargonic acid vanillylamide or PAVA, is an organic compound and a
capsaicinoid. It is an amide of pelargonic acid (n-nonanoic acid) and vanillyl
amine. It is present in chili peppers, but is commonly manufactured
synthetically. It is more heat-stable than capsaicin.
Ointment
sold under trade name Finalgon is used to relieve arthritis and muscle pain. A
small drop of the ointment applied on the skin is absorbed quickly causing warm
to burning sensation and pain relief for several hours.
Nonivamide
is used as a food additive to add pungency to seasonings, flavorings, and spice
blends. It is also used in the confectionery industry to create a hot
sensation, and in the pharmaceutical industry in some formulations as a cheaper
alternative to capsaicin.
Like
capsaicin, it can deter mammals (but not birds or insects) from consuming
plants or seeds (e.g. squirrels and bird feeder seeds).This is consistent with
nonivamide's role as a TRPV1 ion channel agonist. Mammalian TRPV1 is activated
by heat and capsaicin, but the avian form is insensitive to capsaicin.
Nonivamide is used (under the name PAVA) as the payload in
"less-lethal munitions" such as the Fabrique Nationale Herstal FN 303
or as the active ingredient in most pepper sprays – in both applications, the
idea is to temporarily incapacitate people so that they can either be detained
prior to arrest or deterred from acts of violence toward law-enforcement
personnel or third parties (such as rioting or other group violence).
