Original Article

Investigations on Capsicum Annuum L. Samples Purchased From Kayseri Province of Turkey

  • Ayşe BALDEMİR
  • Esra KÖNGÜL
  • Nilay ILDIZ
  • Selen İLGÜN

Received Date: 12.06.2014 Accepted Date: 09.07.2015 Turk J Pharm Sci 2015;12(3):357-368

Capsicum annuum L. (Solanaceae) originates from Central America (native of Mexico). It is cultivated throughout Turkey as a condiment and vegetable, in fields or greenhouses, for its unripe green or ripe red fruits (in Turkish, “biber”). In this study, microscopical, physico-chemical analysis of 10 red pepper samples bought from Kayseri market were investigated if they conform to Capsicum annuum monograph in the European Pharmacopoeia. For this purpose, organoleptic and microscopic analyses, thin layer chromatography (TLC), tests on foreign matters, loss on drying, and total ash quantities were conducted on 10 samples, respectively. Additionally, antibacterial activities of Capsicum annuum methanol extracts and capsaicin (standard) against Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) were examined by using disc diffusion method.

Keywords: Capsicum annuum, Red pepper, Anti-bacterial activity, Microscopical, Physico-chemical, TLC, Solanaceae.