Potential health benefits of conventional nutrients and phytochemicals of Capsicum peppers

Abstract

Capsicum peppers are great herbal medicine bestowed with natural pharmacological bioactive compounds majorly Phytochemicals, capsaicin, essential oils and a rich mix of organic micronutrients with potential health benefits. They play nutritional roles in diets and possess medicinal properties. These bioactive agents manifest their usefulness over mono-therapy by working in consortium and exert synergistic, polyvalent and pharmacological effects in humans as nutraceutical that serve as functional foods; as crude drugs for health benefits including prevention and treatments of chronic metabolic diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes and obesity. The synergistic effects of the phyto-nutrients of Capsicum peppers are thought to make them potentially effective anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anticancerous, anti-tumor, anti-mutagenic and possess good antioxidants with scavenging ability for singlet oxygen, free radical inhibitors, peroxide decomposers and metal chelating agents which are implicated in favoring of the onset of degenerative diseases including mucosa degeneration. While capsaicin imparts the ability for Capsicum peppers to function as topical agents, for the relief of various forms of pains as pain medicine; its activity as neurotoxic and cytotoxic agent is suggested to give various potential environmental health benefits and also benefiting man as a potential effective anesthesia. The presence of Phytochemicals in Capsicum pepper makes them not only useful and much cheaper alternatives to synthetic drugs but the Phytochemicals can be harnessed as crude drugs for the production of novel drugs. However, clinical studies on the consumption of Capsicum peppers are insufficient and needed to confirm some of the findings from animal studies.

Carotenoids of Capsicum Fruits: Pigment Profile and Health-Promoting Functional Attributes

“…Carotenoids are among the most significant antioxidants of pepper besides phenolics and flavonoids which act synergistically as efficient free radical scavengers [7,45,60]. The free radical scavenging ability of carotenoids comes from its extended linear system of conjugated double bonds, which allows resonance to occur and maintain the stability of its structure [61].…”

Hot Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.): An Alternative Food to Reduce Micronutrient Deficiencies in Human

“…Hot pepper contains proteins (1.9 g), sugars (5.3 g), fiber (1.5 g), fat (0.4 g), energy (8.8 g), ascorbic acid (240%), pyridoxine (39%), vitamin A (32%), copper (14%), iron (13%), potassium (7%), and magnesium (6%) [19]. Nutrient constituents and their composition present in chili species in different countries are represented in pepper consists of twice the provitamin A than in carrot and double the amount of vitamin C of green pepper, and it also acts as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytonutrient [30]. Sweet pepper is fibrous in nature and is the sources of dietary fiber which could help in fighting blood cholesterol level and diabetes better from the body and bloodstream, respectively [31].…”

“…It also has an antidiabetic activity by enhancing the insulin secretion and releasing bound insulin. Capsaicin helps in producing heat within the body and consumes oxygen which simultaneously burns calories in the body and helps in losing weight [30]. Thus, incorporating pepper-rich food in everday diet can be useful in enduring pursuit of eliminating micronutrient deficiency.…”

Effect of Natural and Synthetic Sources of Lycopene on Productive Performance, Carcass Quality and viscera relative weights of Japanese Quail Coturnx japonica Temminck & Schlegel, 1849

“…Besides that, the presence of phytochemicals in Capsicum pepper makes them not only useful and much cheaper alternative to synthetic drugs but the phytochemicals can be harnessed as crude drugs for the production of novel drugs (Mercy & David, 2018).…”