Query: capsicum frutescens

title: Effect of Capsicum Frutescens Extract, Capsaicin, and Luteolin on Quorum Sensing Regulated Phenotypes.
abstract: Capsicum peppers have not been investigated as sources of quorum sensing (QS) inhibitors. This study aimed to identify compounds in pimenta malagueta (Capsicum frutescens) and red pepper (Capsicum annuum) extracts and to evaluate their effect on violacein production in Chromobacterium violaceum ATCC 12472 and C. violaceum CV026, as well as biofilm formation (BF) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and Serratia marcescens MG1. Among the extracts, pimenta malagueta methanolic extract (PMME) was chosen because it contained capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, and luteolin in greater amount than the other extracts. In general, PMME partially inhibited bacterial growth at 2.5 and 5.0 mg/mL, as well as capsaicin at 100 ug/mL and luteolin at 62.5, 125, and 250 ug/mL. At lower concentrations, PMME and luteolin reduced violacein production in C. violaceum ATCC 12472 without affecting growth, a result that was not observed with capsaicin. We show that violacein inhibition by PMME is likely due to luteolin. In silico docking evaluation showed that luteolin binds to the CviR QS regulator. Crystal violet staining and confocal microscopy revealed that BF was increased by PMME and capsaicin, being remarkably superior for P. aeruginosa PAO1 at 30 degC. Capsaicin is not an effective QS inhibitor, while luteolin should be further investigated for its potential effects in QS regulated phenotypes.  Quorum sensing (QS) is a form of bacterial communication targeted for studies aiming to inhibit bacterial virulence. QS regulates phenotypes that influence microbial activities across many areas, including Food Science. Capsicum frutescens is a type of chili pepper consumed in Brazil, rich in bioactive compounds such as capsaicin (which gives its pungency) and luteolin (a phenolic compound) We show that C. frutescens extract and luteolin inhibit QS in a model bacterium, along with the possible molecular mechanism of inhibition. Capsaicin did not inhibit QS neither biofilm formation. Luteolin should be further investigated for its QS inhibition properties and biotechnological applications.

title: Efficacy of a Homeopathic Medicine of Capsicum frutescens L. (Solanaceae) in the Treatment of Hot Flashes in Menopausal Women: A Phase 2 Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: Hot flashes are common in women during menopause, and are an important cause of discomfort, increasing the number of medical appointments. Hormone replacement therapy is an effective treatment, but it can bring undesirable consequences. Alternative treatments exist but they are not universally accepted or effective. The ingestion of malagueta peppers (popular name for fruits of Capsicum frutescens L. Solanaceae) causes sensations similar to those experienced by women during hot flashes. Using the homeopathic law of similars (let like be cured by like) we hypothesized that a homeopathic remedy made of malagueta peppers can be effective in alleviating menopausal hot flashes. We named this remedy Malagueta.  This randomized, placebo controlled, double blind, phase 2 clinical trial was designed to test the hypothesis that, in menopausal women, the homeopathic medicine Malagueta (30 CH) compared with placebo, will significantly reduce the intensity of hot flashes, after 4 weeks of treatment. The primary outcome was the intensity of hot flashes, measured by the Measure Yourself Medical Outcome Profile (MYMOP) instrument. A total of 40 women were enrolled in the study, 20 in each group.  The effect of Malagueta on the primary outcome, the intensity of hot flashes, assessed by MYMOP, was superior to that of placebo over the 4 weeks of treatment, with worsening in both groups after treatment was interrupted (after week 4, p 0.001 in ordinal logistic regression) The odds ratio for treatment response (reduction of at least three MYMOP categories) was 2.78 (95% confidence interval, 0.77 to 10.05) Treatment with Malagueta, compared with placebo, also reduced the intensity of the secondary symptoms (p 0.001) and improved level of activity (p 0.025) and well being (p 0.008) CONCLUSION The homeopathic medicine of Capsicum frutescens (Malagueta) was superior to placebo in reducing the intensity of hot flashes in menopausal women after 4 weeks of treatment.

title: Evaluation of genetic relationship among varieties of Capsicum annuum L. and Capsicum frutescens L. in West Africa using ISSR markers
abstract: The taxonomic identity of two closely related Capsicum species; Capsicum annuum and Capsicum frutescens in West Africa has not been clarified because they have overlapping morphological traits. Effective control and management measures as well as improvement of crop plants in any breeding programme can only be implemented when plant species are correctly identified. The genetic relationships of the varieties of these Capsicum species were assessed using 10 ISSR primers for the first time. The varieties and species used include C. annuum var. abbreviatum; C. annuum var. acuminatum; C. annuum var. grossum and C. frutescens var. baccatum. PCR amplification of the isolated DNA from the four varieties of Capsicum revealed a total of 75 loci out of which 14 were found to be polymorphic. Average polymorphism information content (PIC) and heterozygosity (He) of the 10 ISSR markers were estimated as 0.67 and 0.78 respectively. The relatedness among the varieties assessed by Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPMGA) cluster analysis did not separate C. frutescens var. baccatum from the three cultivated varieties of C. annuum. The result from the principal component analysis (PCA) further supports the genetic relatedness and groupings obtained from the cluster analysis. Overall, the study indicated that ISSR markers were effective in assessing the genetic relatedness and revealed genetic homogeneity of the four varieties. Our results, therefore, support the inclusion of C. frutescens var. baccatum as a variety of C. annuum species.

title: Comparative Quantitative Study on Phytochemical Contents and Antioxidant Activities of Capsicum annuum L. and Capsicum frutescens L.
abstract: The variabilities in the phytochemical contents and antioxidant activities of four varieties of two closely related cultivated Capsicum species, C. annuum and C. frutescens, were examined as an additional tool for establishing their phylogenetic relatedness and for breeding purposes. The methodology involved the use of ethanolic and aqueous extractions for the determination of the phytochemical and antioxidant properties. The phytochemical contents including total flavonoid, total phenol, and proanthocyanidins were evaluated spectrophotometrically while the antioxidant activities were determined by 2,2 diphenyl 1 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) 2,2' azino bis(3 ethylbenzothiazoline) 6 sulfonic acid (ABTS) nitric oxide (NO) and phosphomolybdenum assays. To point out the relationship among the varieties, a dendrogram based on the antioxidative phytochemical contents was constructed using the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPMGA) cluster analysis. In all, aqueous extracts gave higher yield while ethanolic extracts showed higher phytochemical content across the varieties. Significant variations were observed among the varieties in relation to their phytochemical constituents and antioxidant activities. Dendrogram obtained from multivariate analysis distinguished the two Capsicum species. The first cluster contained only C. frutescens var. baccatum while the second cluster contained the three varieties of C. annuum species in subclusters, signifying the close genetic affinity among the three varieties. It also revealed that the four varieties are of a common progenitor. Information from this study gives additional evidence of chemotaxonomic significance and baseline data for effective selection of suitable parental genotypes in breeding for nutritional and pharmacological purposes.

title: Antioxidant activity of ethanolic extract of Capsicum frutescens L.
abstract: Dentro de la medicina tradicional encontramos algunas plantas medicinales que contienen compuestos antioxidantes, que ayudan a proteger a las celulas contra los efectos daninos de especies reactivas del oxigeno. Estudios realizados con diferentes especies han permitido aislar e identificar una amplia variedad de compuestos antioxidantes con estructura fenolica, y otros como los carotenoides y el acido ascorbico, que poseen la capacidad de proteger a las celulas contra el dano oxidativo, que provoca envejecimiento y la incidencia de enfermedades cronico degenerativas. Por lo tanto, el objetivo fue determinar la actividad antioxidante y el contenido fenolico del fruto de aji (Capsicum frutescens L. proveniente del municipio de Ovejas (Sucre) Colombia. Los frutos de aji tabasco (Capsicum frutescens L. fueron recolectados en el municipio de Ovejas Sucre (9deg31'33''N 75deg13'38''O) El extracto etanolico se obtuvo por la tecnica de maceracion. La actividad antioxidante fue determinada mediante la tecnica de actividad antiradicalaria por el metodo DPPH, asimismo el contenido de fenoles totales se realizo por el metodo colorimetrico Folin Ciocalteu. Los resultados de la prueba de actividad antioxidante mostraron que el extracto etanolico de aji tabasco (Capsicum frutescens L. obtenido mediante maceracion tuvo un valor de IC50 mediante la tecnica de DPPH* de 270,99+ 1,50 mg/mL, lo cual esta directamente relacionado con la capsaicina (8 metil N vanillil 6 nonenamida, C18H27NO3) El extracto etanolico de aji tabasco (Capsicum frutescens L. es considerado como promisorio para disenar productos magistrales con actividad antioxidante.Palabras claves: Actividad antioxidante, Capsicum frutescens, extracto etanolico.

title: PENGARUH PEMBERIAN AMPAS TEH TERHADAP PERTUMBUHAN TANAMAN CABAI RAWIT (Capsicum frutescens L.)DAN SUMBANGSIHNYA PADA MATERIBIOLOGI DI SMA
abstract: Cabai dikenal sebagai tanaman yang mudah tumbuh dan mudah beradaptasi, salah satunya yaitu cabai rawit (Capsicum frutescens L. Cabai rawit (Capsicum frutescens L. bisa dibudidayakan dilahan sempit seperti di perkarangan rumah. Usaha dalam budidaya cabai rawit yaitu dengan pengolahan lahan supaya kesuburan tanah tetap terjaga dan bisa menambahkan pemberian bahan organik. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh pemberian ampas teh dalam pertumbuhan tanaman cabai rawit (Capsicum frutescens L. Jenis penelitian ini menggunakan yaitu penelitian kuantitatif. Metode yang digunakan yaitu ekperimen, melalui pola Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) dengan 5 perlakuan menggunakan ampas teh perlakuan P0 (Tanpa Perlakuan) P1 (80 gram ampas teh) P2 (100 gram ampas teh) P3 (120 gram ampas teh) dan P4 (140 gram ampas teh) dan 5 ulangan sehingga membentuk 25 unit perlakuan. Ampas teh ditambahkan selama dua minggu sekali. Parameter yang diamati yaitu tinggi batang, panjang daun, jumlah daun dan waktu berbunga serta muncul buah pertama. Data hasil dari penelitian ini dianalisis menggunakan uji F dan diikuti uji lanjut beda jarak Duncan. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa pemberian ampas teh terhadap pertumbuhan tanaman cabai rawit (Capsicum frutescens L. berpengaruh nyata pada parameter tinggi batang, panjang daun, jumlah daun dan waktu berbunga serta waktu muncul buah pertama dimana F hitung F tabel pada a 1% Konsentrasi yang paling bagus dari penelitian ini yaitu 140 gram. Hasil penelitian akan digunakan sebagai bahan ajar dalam proses pembelajaran berupa Lembar Kerja Peserta Didik (LKPD) Kata kunci Ampas Teh, Cabai Rawit, Pertumbuhan.

title: PRODUKTIVITAS TANAMAN CABAI RAWIT (Capsicum frutescens L. MELALUI PEMBERIAN PUPUK ORGANIK BERBAHAN DASAR Hydrilla verticillata L. DAN KOTORAN AYAM
abstract: Hydrilla veriticillata merupakan salah satu tumbuhan air yang banyak ditemukan di perairan yang tergenang seperti sawah dan rawa rawa. Kotoran ayam merupakan limbah yang dihasilkan dari peternakan ayam yang dapat menimbulkan masalah bagi lingkungan. Kedua bahan tersebut mengandung beberapa unsur hara sehingga berpotensi untuk dijadikan sebagai pupuk. Tujuan penelitian ini adalam mengetahui pengaruh pupuk organik berbahan dasar Hydrilla verticillata L dan kotoran ayam terhadap pertumbuhan dan produktivitas tanaman cabai rawit Capsicum frutescens L. Penelitian ini menggunakan rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) dengan lima perlakuan pupuk organik berbahan dasar Hydrilla verticillata dan kotoran ayam dengan diulang sebanyak 5 kali pada masing masing perlakuan. Hasil analisis sidik ragam variabel produktivitas menunjukan f hitung f tabel dimana berat basah buah cabai rawit Capsicum frutescens L. adalah 10,6>2,67. Selanjutnya, hasil uji BNJ menunjukan bahwa perlakuan ke 5 (500 gram) merupakan perlakuan paling baik untuk produktivitas tanaman cabai rawit Capsicum frutescens L) Disimpulkan bahwa produktivitas tanaman cabai rawit Capsicum frutescens L) signifikan dipengaruhi oleh pupuk organik berbahan dasar Hydrilla verticillata dan kotoran ayam.

title: Influence of Fruit Ripening on Color, Organic Acid Contents, Capsaicinoids, Aroma Compounds, and Antioxidant Capacity of Shimatogarashi (Capsicum frutescens)
abstract: Shimatogarashi (Capsicum frutescens) is a typical chili pepper domesticated in southern Japan. Important traits of Shimatogarashi peppers, such as color; proportion of organic acids, capsaicinoids, and aromatic compounds; and antioxidant activity in three stages of maturity (green (immature) orange (turning) and red (mature) stages) were characterized. The results indicated that the concentration of organic acids, including ascorbic, citric, and malic acid, increased during ripening. In addition, the amount of capsaicinoids, which are responsible for the pungent taste of chili peppers, increased as the fruit matured to the orange and red stages. The volatile compound profile of Shimatogarashi was dominated by the presence of esters, which mainly contributed to fruity notes. The total amount of volatile compounds analyzed by gas chromatography headspace solid phase microextraction (GC HS SPME) especially esters, decreased as the fruit changed in color from green to red. This was in contrast to the amount of terpenoids, especially limonene, which increased at the red stage, denoting a change in flavor from fruity to a more citrus like aroma. Based on the total phenolic content (TPC) the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and the diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical method, the antioxidant capacity of Shimatogarashi showed an increase at the mature red stage. However, while the red stage showed higher pungency and antioxidant capacity as well as an attractive color, the results of aromatic compound analysis revealed that the immature green stage had the advantages of having pleasant fruity smell, making it suitable for use in condiments.

title: Seed dispersal as an ecosystem service: frugivore loss leads to decline of a socially valued plant, Capsicum frutescens
abstract: Species interactions, both mutualistic and antagonistic, are widely recognized as providing important ecosystem services. Fruit eating animals influence plant recruitment by increasing germination during gut passage and moving seeds away from conspecifics. However, relative to studies focused on the importance of frugivores for plant population maintenance, few studies target frugivores as ecosystem service providers, and frugivores are underappreciated as ecosystem service providers relative to other mutualists such as pollinators. Here, we use an accidental experiment to elucidate the role of seed dispersal by frugivores for maintaining a culturally and economically important plant, the donne' sali chili (Capsicum frutescens) in the Mariana Islands. One of the islands (Guam) has lost nearly all of its native forest birds due to an invasive snake (Boiga irregularis) whereas nearby islands have relatively intact bird populations. We hypothesized that frugivore loss would influence chili recruitment and abundance, which could have economic and cultural impacts. By using video cameras, we confirmed that birds were the primary seed dispersers. We used captive bird feeding trials to obtain gut passed seeds to use in a seedling emergence experiment. The experiment showed that gut passed seeds emerged sooner and at a higher proportion than seeds from whole fruits. Consistent with our findings that birds benefit chilies, we observed lower chili abundance on Guam than on islands with birds. In a survey questionnaire of island residents, the majority of residents reported an association between the wild chili and local cultural values and traditions. In addition, we identified a thriving market for chili products, suggesting benefits of wild chilies to people in the Marianas both as consumers and producers. Our study therefore documents seed dispersal as both a cultural and a supporting ecosystem service. We provide a comprehensive case study on how seed dispersed plants decline in the absence of their disperser, and how to apply mixed methods in ecosystem service assessments. Furthermore, we suggest that scientists and resource managers may utilize fruit frugivore mutualisms concerning socially valuable plants to gather support for frugivore and forest conservation efforts.

title: Performance and blood biochemistry profile of broiler chickens fed dietary turmeric (Curcuma longa) powder and cayenne pepper (Capsicum frutescens) powders as antioxidants
abstract: A 56 day experimental trial was conducted to investigate the performance and blood biochemistry profile of broiler chickens fed dietary turmeric (Curcuma longa) powder (t) and cayenne pepper (Capsicum frutescens) powder (c) as antioxidants. Two hundred and forty three (two week old) broiler chicks were randomly allotted into nine treatment groups consisting of 27 selected chicks and three replicates of nine birds each. Three levels of t (0, 200 and 400 g/ 100 kg basal diet) and three levels of c (0, 100 and 200 g/ 100 kg basal diet) were used to formulate nine dietary treatments (basal diet (B) inclusive) and fed to each groupin two phases, starter (3 4 weeks) and finisher (5 8 weeks) phases in a randomized design. Feed intake and weight gain were highest (p 0.05) in chicks fed B 100c diet at the starter phase, while feed conversion ratio was best (p 0.05) in chickens fed B 400t 200c diet at finisher phase. All chickens fed dietary additives had significantly (p 0.05) decreased serum alanine aminotransferase and low density lipoproteins but increased high density lipoproteins in the starter phase. The hematological count determined indicate poor (p 0.05) profile in groups fed B 200c diet. Feeding broiler chicks dietary B 400t 200c was recommended for optimal growth performance. However, indices measured in the finisher phase allude that the best (p 0.05) lipid profile were for chickens allotted B 400t and B 200t 100c diets, while chicks fed B 200t 100c diet had overall a better serum count in the finisher phase.