Plant of genus Capsicum is part of the large Solanaceae family, which, among the more than 90 genera and 2500 species of flowering plants, includes commercially important vegetables such as tomato, potato, and eggplant. Capsicum species are used all over the world as spices, but also in traditional medicine to prevent or nurse some gastric ulcers, rheumatisms, toothache and diabetes.
Capsicum can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in food seasonings. In various processed products paprika, paprika oleoresin, red pepper oleoresin, and dried chili may all serve as an important source of red color, but paprika and paprika oleoresins are the primary source of red color.
The main source of pungency in peppers is due to the presence of capsaicinoids. Alkaloid compounds of capsaicinoids are secondary metabolites and derivatives of phenylpropanoids produced in placental epidermis cells and accumulated in structures (blisters) located on the placenta surface.
There are two important compounds Capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin which accounting for almost 90% of total capsaicinoids. Capsaicinoids properties include: anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and anti-obesity activities.
Pepper is a source of vitamins, carotenoids and flavonoids, which have antioxidant properties. Peppers are high in vitamin A, vitamin E, and potassium, phosphorus and low in sodium. One hundred grams of fresh red chili pepper has 240 mg of vitamin C (five times higher than an orange), 11,000 IU of vitamin A, and 0.7 mg of vitamin E.
Bioactive compounds in genus capsicum
