Effects of sun-drying on the antioxidant potentials of pepper (Capsicum) varieties

The present study investigated the effects of sun-drying on the antioxidant potential of three pepper varieties: Capsicum annuum var, Capsicum chinense and Capsicum annuum. Fresh fruits of the pepper varieties were collected, washed under distilled water and were divided into two parts: one for fresh sample and the other for the dried sample. Dried and fresh samples of the pepper varieties were homogenized and extracted with methanol. The concentrations of total phenolics and flavonoids were evaluated; DPPH-radical scavenging activity and the FRAP potential of the extracts were also determined. The results revealed that sun-drying process significantly reduced the total phenolic content of C. annuum var, C. chinense and C. annuum from 5.91 ± 0.22 mg/g GAE, 6.9 ± 0.23 mg/g GAE, 6.67 ± 0.99 mg/g GAE to 3.31 ± 0.72 mg/g GAE, 3.59 ± 0.89 mg/g GAE, 3.01 ± 0.17 mg/g GAE respectively and flavonoid content from 3.80 ± 0.02 mg/g QE, 3.91 + 0.08 mg/g QE, 3.84 ± 0.08 mg/g QE to 1.26 ± 0.90 mg/g QE, 1.95 ± 0.07 mg/g QE, 1.23 ± 0.04 mg/g QE respectively. The result also revealed that the fresh samples of C. annuum var, C. chinense and C. annuum exhibited higher percentage inhibition of DPPH-radical at 59.4 ± 0.5%, 61.2 ± 0.6%, 58.9 ± 0.2% respectively and were significantly different from the percentage inhibition by the dried samples: 39.2 ± 0.5%, 42.4 ± 0.4%, 38.6 ± 0.6% respectively.The FRAP potential of the fresh samples of C. annuum var, C. chinense and C. annuum: 588.56 ± 29.4 ìmol Fe(II)/g, 691.34 ± 20.46 ìmol Fe(II)/g and 598.9 ± 23. 82 ìmol Fe(II)/g respectively were significantly different from the dried samples: 370.22 ± 14.75 ìmol Fe(II)/g, 392.34 ± 45.74 ìmol Fe(II)/g and 358.6 ± 30.08 ìmol Fe(II)/g respectively. The three Capsicum species are very rich in antioxidants. However, the sun drying method reduced the antioxidant capacities of the peppers, thus further studies should be carried out on the best method for the preservation of Capsicum species. Key Words: Capsicum. annuum var, C. chinense, C. annuum, Antioxidant, Sun-drying, methanolic extract

Exploiting the Anti-inflammatory Potential of White Capsicum Extract by the Nanoformulation in Phospholipid Vesicles

The peppers of the Capsicum species are exploited in many fields, as flavoring agents in food industry, or as decorative and therapeutic plants. Peppers show a diversified phytochemical content responsible for different biological activities. Synergic activity exerted by high levels of antioxidant compounds is responsible for their important anti-inflammatory property. A methanolic extract was obtained from a new pepper genotype and tested for anti-inflammatory activity. The extract was incorporated into phospholipid vesicles to increase the bioavailability of its bioactive components. Two types of phospholipid vesicles were produced, conventional liposomes and Penetration Enhancer containing Vesicles (PEVs). They were tested in human monoblastic leukemia U937 cell line, showing no cytotoxic effect. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) levels were measured to value the in vitro efficacy of the vesicles in regulating inflammatory responses. Liposomal incorporation significantly reduced ROS levels in extract-treated LPS-activated cells. Furthermore, LC-MS/MS analyses demonstrated that liposomes facilitated the transport of the extract components across the cell membrane and their accumulation into the cytoplasm.

Vitamin E: Natural Antioxidant in the Mediterranean Diet

Oxidation has been related to several diseases in humans. Indeed, to protect the body from high free radical damages, organism requires natural resources of antioxidant compounds, such as phenols, tocopherols (α, β, γ, and σ) which have important roles in the cell antioxidant defense system. In Mediterranean areas, olive oils and pepper fruits are considered among the best foods in a diet, which keeps on attracting the interest of scientists due to the health benefits linked with its consumption. The Olive oil and pepper fruits are among the most consumed nutrients in the Mediterranean diet; their richness in naturally powerful antioxidants, such as alpha-tocopherols, polyphenols, carotenoïds, and capsaicinoïds (specific of capsicum species), and monounsaturated fatty acids in olive and seed pepper oils, constitutes good health protection against oxidative damages and inflammation. Also, these phytochemicals shield and prevent the human body from many diseases such as cardiovascular, coronary, Alzheimer’s diseases, and cancers.

Phytochemical constituents and biological properties of domesticated capsicum species: a review

Pepper (Capsicum spp) is cultivated and consumed in almost every region of the world both as fresh vegetable and dried spice. Capsicum and its different varieties possess many valuable properties which distinguish them from other vegetables and in many food items as a spice for its strong pungent flavor that is produced during the secondary metabolism of the plant.Capsicum fruit exhibits a multiple color profile due to the presence of carotenoids which can be used as a natural coloring agent and antioxidant. Almost all the parts of the capsicum are considered a rich source of health-related bioactive compounds including polyphenols, flavonoids, and other aromatic compounds. One of the important biological properties of capsicum is its ability to act as antioxidants to reduce oxidative stress leading to the prevention of several degenerative diseases. The functional compounds of capsicum exhibit excellent antimicrobial properties, particularly against gram-positive pathogenic microorganisms. The nutraceutical functionality of phytogenic compounds obtained from capsicum also confirms the anticarcinogenic and cardio-preventive effectiveness. The essential oils from capsicum are also being used as anti-aging substances in cosmetic products. Accordingly, this article is an attempt to provide an overview of the chemical and functional properties of the bioactive compounds sourced from capsicum and their effective utilization in the medicine, food, agricultural, cosmetic, and textile industries.Keywords: Capsicum, capsaicinoids, capsaicin, carotenoids, pungency

Screening of Suitable Plant Regeneration Protocols for Several Capsicum spp. through Direct Organogenesis

Peppers (Capsicum spp.) are recalcitrant to in vitro culture regeneration, making the application of in vitro-based breeding strategies difficult. We evaluated the impact of different combinations of auxins, cytokinins and micronutrients on the induction of direct organogenesis in cotyledon and hypocotyl explants of C. annuum, C. baccatum and C. chinense. We found variation in the regeneration response among species and type of explant. In this way, the average numbers of shoots per cotyledon and hypocotyl explant were, respectively, 1.44 and 0.28 for C. annuum, 4.17 and 3.20 for C. baccatum and 0.08 and 0.00 for C. chinense. Out of the six media, the best overall results were obtained with the medium Pep1, which contained 5 mg/L BAP (6-benzylaminopurine), 0.5 mg/L IAA (indole-3-acetic acid) and 0.47 mg/L CuSO4, followed by a subculture in the same medium supplemented with 10 mg/L AgNO3 (medium Pep1.2). The best result for the Pep1 + Pep1.2 medium was obtained for C. baccatum using cotyledon explants, with 8.87 shoots per explant. The explants grown in medium Pep1 + Pep1.2 were the ones with greener tissue, while overall the hypocotyl explants were greener than the cotyledon explants. Our results indicate that there is wide variation among Capsicum species in terms of regeneration. Our results suggest that the synergistic effect of copper and silver resulted in a higher regeneration rate of Capsicum explants. Explants with shoots were transferred to different media for elongation, rooting and acclimatization. Although acclimatized plantlets were obtained for C. baccatum and C. chinense, an improvement in these latter stages would be desirable for a high throughput regeneration pipeline. This work contributes to the improvement of Capsicum regeneration protocols using specific combinations of medium, explant and genotype, reaching the levels of efficiency required for genetic transformation and of gene editing technologies for other crops.

Novel sources of resistance to powdery mildew (Leveillula taurica (Lév.) Arnaud) in pepper

Peppers, a worldwide crop, are threatened by different pathogens. Powdery mildew, a biotroph fungal infection, can cause several damages directly on vegetative parts and indirectly on fruits. Despite some sources of resistance have been described, commercial genotypes only with partial resistance have been developed due to the complex nature of such resistance and variable genetic expression, which depends on the stage of the plants. In this paper 49 accessions from different Capsicum species and origins have been tested. Plants were grown in growth chambers inside of mini greenhouses. Repeated inoculations under pepper leaves were applied by spraying a suspension of 104 conidia ml-1. Readings were made at 30 and 60 days after inoculation (DAI). Total number of leaves (TL), total number of affected leaves (LA), and maximum area affected (MAA) in the most damaged leaf were scored. In addition, a composite infection index (CII) was calculated on the basis of the three mentioned traits. Inoculated plants showed more severe symptoms at 30 DAI than at 60 DAI. Different response patterns were observed: from accessions suffering high leaf shedding to some others with local hypersensitive response, indicating different gene action. The use of CII prevented species bias and disease response. In the present work, four highly tolerant accessions were identified, including two chiltepins, C. annuum wild relatives, Ag-01 and Ag-02, and two C. annuum A-06 and A-23.

Phenotypic and Molecular Characterization of Brazilian Capsicum Germplasm

Population growth and the high demand for food production has caused environmental degradation losses in biodiversity. The conservation of genetic resources is the most appropriate strategy for maintaining the variability of species of great importance, such as Capsicum. In this study, we describe the characterization of 69 pepper accessions of four Capsicum species from different regions of Brazil on the basis of qualitative and quantitative descriptors and ISSR markers. The 11 quantitative descriptors grouped the 69 populations into five clades. The fruit traits had the greater discrimination power. A strong correlation was detected between some pairs of quantitative descriptors: petiole and fruit length, fruit diameter and fresh fruit mass, leaf length and leaf width, canopy and plant height, stem diameter and plant height, stem diameter and canopy diameter. A negative correlation was also observed between plant height and pericarp thickness. Moreover, the molecular analysis grouped accessions into five clades. The morpho-agronomic and molecular characterization were efficient to estimate the genetic diversity between accessions, being important tools for the knowledge and use of accessions. This study is of great importance to preserve pepper germplasm and to provide data to facilitate the process of the selection in breeding programs.

Alternative method for the transformation of Capsicum species

Capsicum (pepper) species have high economic values as vegetable crops and medicinal plants. Most of the Capsicum is known to be recalcitrant to plant regeneration in vitro, and to genetic transformation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens. However, genetic improvement against pathogens requires discovering new pest resistance genes and revealing their functions and mechanism in vitro. The development of improved transformation methods serves this purpose, which needs a binary vector technology carrying the gene of interest to be transferred into the host plants. Agrobacterium rhizogenes mediated transformation serves as a useful alternative way for the Capsicum transformation. The A. rhizogenes transformation compared to the A. tumefaciens transformation has the advantage that the method needs no regeneration step in vitro. Our goal is to obtain a highly efficient transformation system that can be used to study the functions of different genes in Capsicum annuum varieties. Our study’s further goal is to validate and describe the candidate gene (Me1) involved in resistance against root-knot nematode species.

Post harvest processing and value addition of dry chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)

Chilli is an important spice crop and India is one of the leading producer and exporter of chilli in the world. Chilli is widely used around the world in food as a spice both in fresh and dried form which adds flavour to the meal by creating spicy pungent taste. The chemical components of the chilli may vary considerably depending on the location of cultivation and postharvest treatments. Chilli contains polyphenol compounds such as capsaisin capsorubin, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin are responsible for colour in Capsicum species that accounts for its characteristic aroma and therapeutic properties. Post harvest losses in chilli are estimated to be 25-35 per cent. Due to post harvest losses farmers lose both in quality and quantity of the chilli. This compromises farmer’s ability to market their produce. The aim of this chapter was to get the best post-harvest handling technology for chilli in the present scenario.