Peppers

Originally from Central America, this bushy plant belongs to the nightshade family (Solanaceae), which also includes other cultivated plants such as potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants and all types of tobacco. The bell pepper bush grows up to 80 cm high, has smooth-edged medium green leaves, bell-shaped white to bluish flowers and conical pods, green, yellow or red capsule fruits. It flowers from June to September and the fruits ripen from October to February.

Both the plant and the fruit are referred to as peppers. The fruits themselves are also known as peppers and chillies, depending on their heat, size and color. Most peppers contain varying concentrations of capsaicin, which is responsible for the spiciness. Capsicum annuum reaches a height of around 150 cm. The flowers grow on a 2-5 cm long stem and are usually white, but can also be greenish or purple. The fruits (pods) are rich in shape: narrow-cylindrical to spherical. Ripe fruits are red, orange, yellow, brown or white. Green, purple or black fruits are always unripe.

The paprika flavor is due to various essential oils. Alkylmethoxypyrazines, such as the "earthy" smelling 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine, are responsible for the smell of peppers. Ripe peppers contain up to 6% sugar and a relatively high amount of vitamin C (0.1-0.4%). Peppers also contain numerous flavonoids and carotenoids.

Use in phytotherapy: see Capsici fructus acer

The allergological significance of peppers is relatively low. Allergic symptoms were primarily described for pollen and manifested themselves with inhalation symptoms. There have also been isolated reports of inhalation symptoms following exposure to powdery dry products. Anaphylactic reactions after eating raw fruit are rare. CAP a 1, a heat-stable protein with a molecular weight of 23kDa, has been described as a paprika allergen. An L-ascorbate peroxidase that cross-reacts with latex has been extracted from paprika. Allergy sufferers with sensitization to Bet-v-1 (major allergen of birch) are potentially at risk for a paprika allergy. The occurrence of Bet-v-1 homologous proteins has been described in up to 50% of the cultivated bell pepper lines.

Even the Native Americans used peppers as a remedy, among other things for toothache or arthritis. Today, the best known use of peppers in medicine are ABC patches, which are used to treat rheumatic pain.

Capsicum annuum: the dried ripe fruits are prescribed e.g. for gastritis (K29.5), inflammation of the middle ear and neuralgia.

Remember! The Hungarian chemist Albert Szent-Györgyi succeeded for the first time in isolating a larger amount of vitamin C from paprika. He received the Nobel Prize for Medicine for this in 1937.

1. Rüdiger RD et al (2010) Severe immediate-type allergy after consumption of raw peppers. Dermatologist 61: 339-342

2. Montag A (2023) Plants and skin. Springer-Verlag GmbH. S. 779-781. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-63014-3_7