**1. Introduction**

*Capsicum* is a popular vegetable and spice crop belonging to the nightshade family Solanaceae, which is amply cultivated for its succulent berries and seeds in tropical and subtropical climate regions all around the globe. The word "*Capsicum*" comes from the Greek word kapsimo, meaning "to bite" or "to swallow." Astonishingly, *Capsicum* pods have been well known since the beginning of civilization in the Western hemisphere and have been part of the human diet since 7500 BC. Habitually, people eat this botanical spice in raw, dried, and cooked form, and it is also used in making paste, pickle, and sauce. Although, from place to place, the name and type of *Capsicum* berries vary, the most common variety is called "pepper or chili pepper," which itself can vary greatly in color, shape, size, appearance, flavor, and pungency. Basically, the color diversity of *Capsicum* fruit is linked to the presence of pigments like chlorophyll (green), anthocyanins (violet/purple), α-carotene, β-carotene, zeaxanthin, lutein, and β-cryptoxanthin (yellow/orange) [1]. Surprisingly, approximately 35 species of *capsicum* exist in nature; only five have been domesticated for

human consumption, namely *Capsicum annuum* (ancho/poblano, bell, cayenne, thai, jalapeno, paprika, pimiento, piquin, and serrano), *Capsicum baccatum* (aji amarillo, aji limon, criolla sella, malawi piquante, and bishop's crown), *Capsicum chinense* (scotch bonnets, trinidad scorpions, bhut jolokia, and carolina reaper), *Capsicum frutescens* (tabasco, bird-eye, kambuzi, malagueta, and siling labuyo), and *Capsicum pubescens* (rocoto pepper) (**Figure 1**) [2]. Of these species, the *Capsicum annuum* is the most economically important crop due to its pungent odor and taste.

Chili peppers are perennial woody plants grown as herbaceous annuals. It is said to be the first-ever domesticated crop in America [3]. The size of the plant can range from two to four feet tall, depending on the species. Typically, leaves are smooth, simple, entire, glabrous, and flat. The flowers are usually solitary, creamy white, and the seeds are straw-colored. **Figure 2** highlights the different types of chili plants. In addition, chili plants are grown for ornamental purposes, owing to their bright, shining fruits with a diverse range of colors [4]. Most abundantly, chili crops are grown in Pakistan, India, China, Ethiopia, Myanmar, Mexico, Vietnam, Turkey, Peru, Ghana, Bangladesh, Japan, Africa, and America (**Table 1**). As per 2019 world production statistics, the total global produce of chili pepper is 38 million tons [5]. China ranks first, producing over 18,978,027 tons of chili in 2019. In terms of nutritional standpoint, chili is considered to be one of the most nutritionally dense foods on earth, and it plays a vital role in alleviating human micronutrient deficiencies [6, 7]. Traditionalistically, it is harnessed in different systems of medicine to combat a wide variety of diseases and/or disorders due to the presence of therapeutically significant active constituents [8]. A total of 200 phytoconstituents have been identified from chilies [9]. Chili pepper's extremely hot or burning sensation is due to capsaicinoids, a family of compounds consisting of acid amides of vanillylamine and a C8–C13

**Figure 1.** *Five major domesticated species of Capsicum.*

*Pharmacological Properties and Health Benefits of* Capsicum *Species: A Comprehensive Review DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.104906*



### **Table 1.**

*List of the top ten chili pepper producing countries in 2019.*

branched-chain fatty acid [10]. Capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin are the two prominent capsaicinoids present in chili peppers, accounting for over 90% of the total capsaicinoids [11]. Particularly, capsaicin has been at the center of intense research to elucidate the basis of its pharmacological properties and exploit its therapeutic potential [12, 13]. In recent times, this chemical substance has been employed as

an analgesic in topical ointments, nasal sprays, and dermal patches to treat pain, typically in concentrations between 0.025 and 0.1%. It is also used to reduce the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, such as postherpetic neuralgia caused by shingles [14]. Other capsaicinoids, such as nordihydrocapsaicin, homocapsaicin, and homodihydrocapsaicin, are present in small amounts in chili peppers, accounting for less than 10% of the total capsaicinoids [15]. Therefore, this chapter aims to discuss the nutritional value, phytochemical profile, pharmacological properties, and health benefits of *Capsicum* species.
