Disease relevance of Capsicum

• The low intrinsic catalytic activities of wild-type E. coli cell extract and isolated chromoplasts of red pepper (Capsicum annuum) are enhanced by the addition of purified recombinant IspH protein [1].
• Capsaicin, a component of red peppers, inhibits the growth of androgen-independent, p53 mutant prostate cancer cells [2].
• TRPV1 ion channels mediate the response to painful heat, extracellular acidosis, and capsaicin, the pungent extract from plants in the Capsicum family (hot chili peppers) (Szallasi, A., and P.M. Blumberg. 1999. Pharmacol. Rev. 51:159-212; Caterina, M.J., and D. Julius. 2001. Annu. Rev. Neurosci. 24:487-517) [3].
• Gastric cancer (GC) incidence has not declined in Mexico. We assessed whether the intake of capsaicin (CAP), the pungent compound of chili peppers, increases the risk of GC independently of H. pylori positivity (Hp) [4].
• Twelve informed and consenting patients were studied to determine the influence of capsaicin, the pungent component of the red pepper, on trigeminal neuralgia [5].

Psychiatry related information on Capsicum

• Our results show that both treatments, the aqueous red pepper extract and low doses of capsaicin on pregnant rats. produce an increment on escape response latency due to a thermonociceptive stimulus [6].

High impact information on Capsicum

• Chili peppers produce the pungent vanilloid compound capsaicin, which offers protection from predatory mammals [7].
• VR1 responds to noxious stimuli including capsaicin, the pungent component of chilli peppers, heat and extracellular acidification, and it is able to integrate simultaneous exposure to these stimuli [8].
• Chromoplast development in ripening bell pepper fruits is characterized by a massive synthesis of carotenoid pigments, resulting in their distinctive red color [9].
• VR1 is gated by protons, heat, and the pungent ingredient of "hot" chili peppers, capsaicin [10].
• Odorant-sensitive channels were directly and reversibly activated by nanomolar concentrations of the bell pepper odorant 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine and the citrus odorant 3,7,-dimethyl-2,6-octadienenitrile [11].

Chemical compound and disease context of Capsicum

• Capsanthin and related carotenoids isolated from the fruits of red paprika Capsicum annuum L. showed potent in vitro anti-tumor-promoting activity with inhibitory effects on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation induced by the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) [12].
• Aeromonas was shown to be resistant towards chlorination of water, but was susceptible to 1% and 2% lactic acid and 0.5% and 1.0% thyme essential oil treatment, although the latter provoked adverse sensory properties when applied for decontamination of chopped bell peppers [13].
• Foreign body sarcoma: effects of foreign DNA, beta-carotene and paprika applied to the implant surface [14].
• These may involve either nutrition, as in calcium deficiency in some lettuce varieties, tomato, and bell peppers, or direct toxicity (chloride or sodium toxicity, or both) in tree and vine crops [15].

Biological context of Capsicum

• These data demonstrate that green pepper, tomato, pineapple, strawberry and carrot juice have greater ability to inhibit endogenous nitrosation than would be expected based solely on their ascorbate content [16].
• Although PAP is present as a single-copy gene in the bell pepper genome, Southern blots using PAP2 as a probe revealed multiple homologous copies [17].
• CONCLUSION: Chronic occupational exposure to chili peppers is associated with complaints of cough but does not alone lead to decreased responsiveness of capsaicin-sensitive nerves when assessed by cough threshold [18].
• This enzyme activity is also inhibited by both red pepper extract (80% inhibition with 50 microliter) and capsaicin (IC50 between 0.3-1 microM) in a dose dependent manner [19].
• RP-HPLC followed by PCA and SRA can be successfully used for the study of the impact of environmental conditions on the decomposition of carotenoid pigments of paprika powders [20].

Anatomical context of Capsicum

• Capsaicin (CP), the pungent component of chili pepper, acts on sensory neurons to convey the sensation of pain [21].
• 1. Capsaicin, the potent algesic substance in chilli peppers, was applied topically to, or injected intradermally into or outside, the receptive fields of 14 C mechanoheat (polymodal) nociceptor units in awake humans [22].
• We investigated the effects of dietary capsaicin (a pungent ingredient of hot red pepper) on the rat submandibular gland and its secretions [23].
• Accumulation and clearance of capsanthin in blood plasma after the ingestion of paprika juice in men [24].
• We recently reported that capsaicin, a pungent principle of hot red pepper, evokes catecholamine secretion from the rat adrenal medulla [25].

Associations of Capsicum with chemical compounds

• Cysteine synthase (O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase) has been purified to homogeneity from bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) fruit chromoplasts [26].
• HPLC values were lower in four of the five highest vitamin C contributors to the US diet (orange juice, grapefruit, tomatoes and tomato juice, and potatoes), as well as in broccoli, red peppers, and cooked collard and mustard greens, compared with values from the other databases [27].
• Using specific antibodies, a cDNA encoding geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase has been isolated from bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) ripening fruit [28].
• Capsaicin (trans-8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) is a major pungent and irritating ingredient of hot chilli peppers, which are frequently consumed as spices [29].
• Green pepper, pineapple, tomato, strawberry and carrot treatments significantly inhibited N-nitrosoproline (NPRO) formation relative to the positive control [16].

Gene context of Capsicum

• Recently a cDNA clone, vanilloid receptor subtype-1 (VR1), was isolated and found to encode an ion channel that is activated by both capsaicin, the pain producing compound in chili peppers, and by noxious thermal stimuli [30].
• METHODS: cDNA clones coding for profilin were obtained by RT-PCR from total RNA of tomato and bell pepper fruits, sequenced and expressed as non-fusion proteins in ESCHERICHIA COLI [31].
• Endovanilloids are defined as endogenous ligands of the transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) protein, a nonselective cation channel that belongs to the large family of TRP ion channels, and is activated by the pungent ingredient of hot chilli peppers, capsaicin [32].
• In bell pepper, a gene encoding a major plastid-lipid associated protein is expressed as both partially and totally spliced transcripts (respectively PAP2 and PAP1) [17].
• On the other hand, RNA analyses of tobacco plants transformed with the bell pepper PAP revealed the presence of both totally and incompletely spliced transcripts [17].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Capsicum

• The "injury" was produced by a single intradermal injection of 10 microliters of 100 micrograms of capsaicin, the algesic substance in hot chili peppers [33].
• Effect of reduced glutathione on the stability of pigments in paprika powders studied by multiwavelength spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography [34].
• Afferent reinnervation was tested physiologically by reflex bradycardia in response to intravenous infusion of capsaicin (30 microg/kg), an extract of paprika stimulating pulmonary C-fibers [35].
• Oral administration of the antiinflammatory spice principles-capsaicin (from red pepper) and curcumin (from turmeric) lowered the levels of Gp A72 by 88 and 73% respectively with concomitant lowering of paw inflammation in arthritic rats [36].
• Refrigeration at 4 degrees C for up to 20 days did not change the ascorbic acid content, except for red peppers, which showed losses around 15%.The ascorbic acid content was altered in response to the preservation procedures assayed [37].

References