Antioxidant, Anti-Obesity, Nutritional and Other Beneficial Effects of Different Chili Pepper: A Review

Abstract

Fruits and vegetables are important components of a healthy diet. They are rich sources of vitamins and minerals, dietary fibre and a host of beneficial non-nutrient substances including plant sterols, flavonoids and other antioxidants. It has been reported that reduced intake of fruits and vegetables may increase the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Chili pepper, is a common and important spice used to enhance taste and nutrition. Over the years, reports have shown its potential as antioxidant and an anti-obesity agent. Obesity is a serious health concern as it may initiate other common chronic diseases. Due to the side effects of synthetic antioxidants and anti-obesity drugs, scientists are now focusing on natural products which produce similar effects to synthetic chemicals. This up-to-date review addresses this research gap and presents, in an accessible format, the nutritional, antioxidant and anti-obesity properties of different chili peppers. This review article serves as a reference guide for use of chili peppers as anti-obesity agents.

Surfactant-mediated extraction of capsaicin from Capsicum annuum L. fruit in various solvents

“…The efficacy of ethyl acetate in extracting phenolics has been attributed to its moderately polar nature [ 34 ]. An ethyl acetate extract of chili, therefore, should be considered as safe product for industrial applications such as its use in pain killer creams for topical applications [ 35 , 36 ].…”

“…As capsaicin is a valuable bioactive compound with various actual and potential medicinal applications, exploring efficient methods for its extraction from chili is important [ 13 , 29 ]. Numerous studies have been carried out to this end, but the extraction yield is still a problem [ 36 ]. The present work, therefore, is a contribution to the ongoing work on this subject paving way for further in-depth studies.…”

Critical Review on Nutritional, Bioactive, and Medicinal Potential of Spices and Herbs and Their Application in Food Fortification and Nanotechnology

“…0.075% capsaicin is able to reduce the lipid deposition in epididymal adipose tissue and mesenteric tissue in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. The serum level of glucose, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels are reduced with capsaicin [ 107 ]…”

Chinese medicinal herbs as potential prodrugs for obesity

“…It is used to treat pains, asthma, coughs, sore throat, common cold, and arthritis in TCM. Its unique components, including capsaicin and capsaicinoids ( Figure 20 ), contribute to the pungent scent and heat sensation of hot chili pepper ( Azlan et al, 2022 ).…”