Hot flushes are common symptoms in women after menopause, and are important causes of
discomfort and lead to high number of medical consultations. Hormone replacement therapy is
an effective treatment, however it can bring undesirable consequences and may be
contraindicated for some women. Options are inhibitors of serotonin or
serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake, gabapentin, herbal medicines and homeopathy. None of these
therapies is widely accepted of effective. Therefore, the search for new therapeutic options
is highly desirable. Ingestion of malagueta pepper fruits (Capsicum frutescens L. var.
malagueta) causes sensations similar to those experienced by menopausal women during hot
flushes. By the principle of homeopathy, "the like cures the like", the objectives of this
study are: (a) to determinate whether pathogenesis of a homeopathic medicine made from C.
frutescens fruits include symptoms like hot flushes, and (b) whether this medicine is
effective on hot flushes relief in women after menopause. There will be 2 distinct phases.
Phase 1 is the determination of the medicine's pathogenesis in healthy volunteers, in a
randomized placebo-controlled, double-blind design. Phase 2 is the investigation of the
medicine's effects on hot flushes of women after menopause, in a randomized
placebo-controlled, double-blind design. The investigators expect a significant reduction on
symptoms perception, assessed by internationally validated tools. The study is expected to
last for 18 months, with 36 patients included in each phase.