Red Pepper
·
Chilly; Chili pepper; Cayenne
pepper; Cherry pepper; Cluster pepper; Christmas pepper; Cone pepper.
Capsicum
annuum, Capsicum frutescens.
It is a small herb belonging to family Solanaceae, bearing
longish tapering fruits which become red when ripe (Fig 10.16) with a pungent odour and taste, and contain a number of
small and flat yellowish seeds (Fig
10.17). The latter bear a superficial resemblance to Datura seeds and
serious poisoning sometimes results from mistaken identity. Table 10.2 lists salient points of
difference. The fruits and seeds of C.
frutescens are hotter to taste than those of C. annuum.
·
The fruit and seeds are very popular
in Indian cuisine as a condiment and flavouring agent. It is also used in
pickles and sauces.
·
In medicine it is sometimes used as
an appetite stimulant and carminative.
·
The main active principle,
capsaicin, is sometimes used in the treatment of neuralgia and diabetic
neuropathy.
·
Capsaicin is sometimes used in
self-protective repellents such as dog repellents and mace-like agents.
· Fruit and seeds.
Capsicum contains a mixture of seven or more closely related
vanillyl acids with the following approximate composition: capsaicin (69%),
dihydrocapsaicin (22%), nor-dihydrocapsaicin (7%), homocapsaicin (1%),
homodihydrocapsaicin (1%), and nor-capsaicin (< 0.1%).
The vanillyl acids are irritants which cause their effects
by depleting nerve terminals of substance P. This results in local swelling and
pain due to dilation of blood vessels, and intense excitation of sensory nerve
endings. Following such an initial reaction, there is a period of relative
insensitivity to various stimuli, which forms the basis for the use of
capsaicin as an active ingredient in some analgesic creams.
·
Cutaneous
exposure: Burning, stinging, pain. Occupationalhandling of chillies
can result in burning pain, irritation, and erythema (“chili burns”), or severe
contact dermatitis (“Hunan hand”).
·
Ocular
exposure: Intense pain, lacrimation, conjunctivitis,and
blepharospasm.
· Inhalation/aspiration of chilly powder: Occupational expo-sure results in
increased coughing (“chilly workers’ cough”).
· Ingestion: Nausea, vomiting, burning pain, salivation,abdominal
cramping, burning diarrhoea.
·
Copious local washing with water.
·
Local and systemic analgesics.
·
Immersion in cool water and/or vegetable oils.
Ocular exposure: Copious local irrigation and local
anal-gesics. Even severe cases usually resolve without sequelae in 24 hours.
·
Sips of cool water or crushed ice.
·
Systemic analgesics.
·
Occupational exposure results in
health problems among workers (vide supra).
·
Accidental deaths have been reported
due to aspiration of pepper. Sometimes datura seeds (Fig 10.18) are consumed in mistake for chilly seeds giving rise to
serious poisoning. Homicides have also been accomplished by inhalational route.
·
The powder is occasionally used for
torture or extortion by forcible introduction into the anus or vagina. Cases of
child abuse have also been reported.
·
Robbery, rape, etc., may be
facilitated by rendering a victim suddenly agonised and helpless by throwing
pepper into the eyes.
·
Black pepper (Piper nigrum belonging to family Piperaceae) contains terpinoids
such as d-limonene, L-pinene, linalool, and philadendrone, which are said to be
carcinogenic.
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