Potential Phytopharmacy and Food Applications of <i>Capsicum</i>spp.: A Comprehensive Review

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Abstract

Capsicum genus (Solanaceae) is native to the Americas. Today, it is an important agricultural crop cultivated around the world, not only due to its economic importance, but also for the nutritional value of the fruits. Among their phytochemical constituents, capsaicinoids are characteristic and responsible of the pungency of sharp-tasting cultivars. Moreover, Capsicum and capsaicinoids (mainly, capsaicin) have been largely studied because of their health benefits. Thus, this study reviews the scientific knowledge about Capsicum spp. and their phytochemicals against cancer, diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, pain, and metabolic syndrome, as well as their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. These bioactivities can be the basis of the formulation of functional ingredients and natural preservatives containing Capsicum extracts or isolated compounds.

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Biological Activities of Essential Oils: From Plant Chemoecology to Traditional Healing Systems

Javad Sharifi-Rad, Antoni Sureda, Gian Carlo Tenore … (2017)

Essential oils are complex mixtures of hydrocarbons and their oxygenated derivatives arising from two different isoprenoid pathways. Essential oils are produced by glandular trichomes and other secretory structures, specialized secretory tissues mainly diffused onto the surface of plant organs, particularly flowers and leaves, thus exerting a pivotal ecological role in plant. In addition, essential oils have been used, since ancient times, in many different traditional healing systems all over the world, because of their biological activities. Many preclinical studies have documented antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities of essential oils in a number of cell and animal models, also elucidating their mechanism of action and pharmacological targets, though the paucity of in human studies limits the potential of essential oils as effective and safe phytotherapeutic agents. More well-designed clinical trials are needed in order to ascertain the real efficacy and safety of these plant products.

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Thymol, thyme, and other plant sources: Health and potential uses

Bahare Salehi, Nafiseh Nasri Nasrabadi, Antonio Segura-Carretero … (2018)

Thymol is a naturally occurring phenol monoterpene derivative of cymene and isomer of carvacrol. Thymol (10-64%) is one of the major constituent of essential oils of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L., Lamiaceae), a medicinal plant with several therapeutic properties. This plant, native to Mediterranean regions, is commonly used as a culinary herb and also with a long history of use for different medicinal purposes. Nowadays, thymol and thyme present a wide range of functional possibilities in pharmacy, food, and cosmetic industry. The interest in the formulation of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and cosmeceuticals based on thymol is due to several studies that have evaluated the potential therapeutic uses of this compound for the treatment of disorders affecting the respiratory, nervous, and cardiovascular systems. Moreover, this compound also exhibits antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticarcinogenesis, anti-inflammatory, and antispasmodic activities, as well as a potential as a growth enhancer and immunomodulator. In the present review, these bioactivities have been covered because some of them can contribute to explain the ethnopharmacology of thymol and its main source, T. vulgaris. Other important aspects about thymol are discussed: its toxicity and bioavailability, metabolism, and distribution in animals and humans.

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Carvacrol and human health: A comprehensive review.

Azam Soltani-Nejad, Mehdi Sharifi-Rad, Elena Maria Varoni … (2018)

Carvacrol (CV) is a phenolic monoterpenoid found in essential oils of oregano (Origanum vulgare), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), pepperwort (Lepidium flavum), wild bergamot (Citrus aurantium bergamia), and other plants. Carvacrol possesses a wide range of bioactivities putatively useful for clinical applications such antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer activities. Carvacrol antimicrobial activity is higher than that of other volatile compounds present in essential oils due to the presence of the free hydroxyl group, hydrophobicity, and the phenol moiety. The present review illustrates the state-of-the-art studies on the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer properties of CV. It is particularly effective against food-borne pathogens, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Bacillus cereus. Carvacrol has high antioxidant activity and has been successfully used, mainly associated with thymol, as dietary phytoadditive to improve animal antioxidant status. The anticancer properties of CV have been reported in preclinical models of breast, liver, and lung carcinomas, acting on proapoptotic processes. Besides the interesting properties of CV and the toxicological profile becoming definite, to date, human trials on CV are still lacking, and this largely impedes any conclusions of clinical relevance.

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Author and article information

Journal

Title: Natural Product Communications

Abbreviated Title: Natural Product Communications

Publisher: SAGE Publications

ISSN (Print): 1934-578X

ISSN (Electronic): 1555-9475

Publication date Created: November 2018

Publication date (Electronic): November 01 2018

Publication date (Print): November 2018

Volume: 13

Issue: 11

Page: 1934578X1801301

Affiliations

[1 ]Medical Ethics and Law Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

[2 ]Student Research Committee, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

[3 ]Food Research and Development Center, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 3600 Casavant West, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada J2S 8E3

[4 ]Departamento de Química Analítica, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Química Fina y Nanoquímica IUIQFN, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales, Edificio Marie Curie, E-14071 Córdoba, Spain

[5 ]Nutrition and Dietetics Department, School of Pharmacy, University of Concepción, 4070386 Concepción, VIII – Bio Bio Region, Chile

[6 ]Instituto de Ciencias Básicas. Universidad Veracruzana. Av. Dr. Luis Castelazo Ayala s/n. Col Industrial Ánimas, 91192. Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico

[7 ]Department of Food Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, New Jersey, USA

[8 ]Department of Medical Parasitology, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol 61663-335, Iran

[9 ]Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA

[10 ]Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Vehari-Pakistan

[11 ]Department of Botany, Lahore College for Women University, Jail Road Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan

[12 ]Phytochemistry Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Article

DOI: 10.1177/1934578X1801301133

SO-VID: af9460ed-b970-4389-832a-0228cf268f6d

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http://journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license

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