Chili Pepper Carotenoids: Nutraceutical Properties and Mechanisms of Action |
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Authors: | Maria Guadalupe Villa-Rivera,Neftalí Ochoa-Alejo |
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Affiliation: | Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Irapuato, Guanajuato 36824, Mexico; |
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Abstract: | Chili pepper is a prominent cultivated horticultural crop that is traditionally used for food seasoning and is applied for the treatment and prevention of multiple diseases. Its beneficial health properties are due to its abundance and variety of bioactive components, such as carotenoids, capsaicinoids, and vitamins. In particular, carotenoids have important nutraceutical properties, and several studies have focused on their potential in the prevention and treatment of human diseases. In this article, we reviewed the state of knowledge of general aspects of chili pepper carotenoids (biosynthesis pathway, types and content in Capsicum spp., and the effects of processing on carotenoid content) and recent findings on the effects of carotenoid nutraceuticals, such as antioxidant, cancer preventive, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular disorder preventive, and anti-obesity effects. |
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Keywords: | Capsicum carotenoids chili pepper nutraceutical effects antioxidant cancer cardiovascular disorders anti-inflammatory obesity |
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