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Oleoresin capsaicin, or pepper spray, is a strong irritant produced from the Capsicum chili pepper that often is used by law enforcement personnel to subdue unruly crowds and by civilians for self-protection. Clinical effects include mucous membrane and eye pain plus erythema and burning of exposed skin. Researchers prospectively compared the efficacy of five different treatments for relieving facial dermal pain in 49 military law enforcement trainees (44 male; mean age, 24) who were purposely exposed to oleoresin capsaicin during training exercises.
After brief self-decontamination with water, participants were randomized to treatment with cloths soaked in one of five substances: aluminum hydroxide–magnesium hydroxide, 2% lidocaine gel, bab…