A micro method for the determination of capsaicine in capsicum fruits is described. The fruits are extracted with 70 per cent. ethanol and chromatographed on kieselguhr plates. The capsaicine spots are eluted, coupled with diazobenzenesulphonic acid and the resulting red colour measured in a suitable spectrophotometer. The method is sensitive to amounts of capsaicine ranging between 10 and 200 µg. The preparation and purification of capsaicine on an alumina column is also reported.