Potential Phytopharmacy and Food Applications of Capsicum spp.: A Comprehensive Review

Capsicum genus (Solanaceae) is native to the Americas. Today, it is an important agricultural crop cultivated around the world, not only due to its economic importance, but also for the nutritional value of the fruits. Among their phytochemical constituents, capsaicinoids are characteristic and responsible of the pungency of sharp-tasting cultivars. Moreover, Capsicum and capsaicinoids (mainly, capsaicin) have been largely studied because of their health benefits. Thus, this study reviews the scientific knowledge about Capsicum spp. and their phytochemicals against cancer, diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, pain, and metabolic syndrome, as well as their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. These bioactivities can be the basis of the formulation of functional ingredients and natural preservatives containing Capsicum extracts or isolated compounds

Track E Implementation Science, Health Systems and Economics

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138412/1/jia218443.pd

Amyloid-like fibril-forming supramolecular beta-sheets from a beta-turn forming tripeptide containing non-coded amino acids: the crystallographic signature

The crystal structure of a terminally protected tripeptide Boc-Leu-Aib-beta-Ala-OMe 1 containing non-coded amino acids reveals that it adopts a beta-turn structure, which sell-assembles to form a supramolecular beta-sheet via non-covalent interactions. The SEM image of peptide 1 exhibits amyloid-like fibrillar morphology in the solid state. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

Supramolecular peptide helix from a novel double turn forming peptide containing a beta-amino acid

A single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of the terminally protected tetrapeptide Boc-beta-Ala-Aib-Leu-Aib-OMe 1 (Aib: alpha-aminoisobutyric acid; beta-Ala: beta-Alanine) reveals that it adopts a new type of double turn structure which self-associates to form a unique supramolecular helix through intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Scanning electron microscopic studies show that peptide 1 exhibits amyloid-like fibrillar morphology in the solid state. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

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Not AvailableThe coastal areas of West Bengal mostly suffer from high soil salinity. The principal crop cultivated in the area is rice. Assessment of soil salinity is a need to improve crop yield for the area. IRSP6 L3 satellite data for 12th April, 2013 was collected from National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA). Survey of India (SOI) maps, land use map and soil salinity maps were also collected from related organizations and were the inputs in GIS. Satellite data was analyzed and a normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) map was prepared. From the map, NDVI values for different features were obtained through GIS. The image was supervised maximum likelihood (MXL) classified to produce different land use classes. Soil EC values were correlated with NDVI index obtained from satellite data. Irrigation scheduling efficiency was computed in CROPWAT 8.0 for different soil series. Mainly three types of salinity were observed in the GIS map (>10 dS m-1, 5-10 dS m-1 and 2-5 dS m-1). The EC value for rice crop was 0.4-0.7 dS m-1 and corresponding NDVI value was 0.40-0.46. The bare soils were having low NDVI values (0.18-0.20) and relatively high EC values (0.81-2.0 dS m-1). NDVI value of uncultivated grassland was 0.35-0.40 and that of forest it was 0.46-0.55. The difference of EC values obtained in GIS map and different features might be due to determination in different seasons, dilution of EC due to irrigation and different site selection. The land use classes obtained in satellite image were rice, vegetables, urban, bare soil, fallow land and water body. Out of a total area of 26399 ha cultivated area was 7000 ha and non-cultivated area was 13000 ha. Irrigation scheduling efficiencies for vegetables were more for Gosaba series for all kinds of water applications. Sonakhali series performed 2nd to Gosaba, where as Tangrakhali and Nikarighata soils performed below the above two soils. In general, with an increase in EC value of soil, there was a decrease in NDVI values for agricultural lands. EC value of soil is better correlated with NDVI in uncultivated fields than cultivated ones.Not Availabl

An amyloid-like fibril forming antiparallel supramolecular beta-sheet from a synthetic tripeptide: a crystallographic signature

Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies of a terminally blocked tripeptide Boc-Leu(1)-Aib(2)-Leu(3)-OMe 1 demonstrates that it adopts a bend structure without any intramolecular hydrogen bond. Peptide 1 self-assembles to form a supramolecular antiparallel beta-sheet structure by various non-covalent interactions including intermolecular hydrogen bonds in the crystal and it exhibits amyloid-like fibrillar morphology in the solid state. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

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Not AvailableWater is becoming an increasingly scarce commodity with its availability declining day by day thereby posing a major challenge for its sustainable use. Water quality is yet another important issue as it influences the salinity build up that could impact crop productivity. Scarcity of good quality irrigation water is one of the major bottlenecks along with soil salinity that severely limits crop production in the coastal region of West Bengal, particularly during the dry season. Most of the lands are therefore mono-cropped and left fallow during the dry season. Thus there is a need to focus on proper irrigation management practices that would allow efficient use of available water resources to sustain crop productivity and increase cropping intensity in the region. A study was therefore were carried out at ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, RRS, Canning Town, West Bengal to understand the impacts of saline water irrigation on salt dynamics and productivity of rabi maize in a heavy texture coastal saline soil. The treatments consisted of good quality irrigation water (ECiw < 2 dS m-1) and saline irrigation waters having ECiw of 4 and 8 dS m-1 applied in four different regimes based at 125, 100, 75 and 50 % of cumulative pan evaporation (CPE). The results obtained revealed that salinity build up at the end of the crop growth period was more with the application of saline irrigation water. With the application of irrigation water having salinity of 8.0 dS m-1, the mean surface soil salinity (ECe) increased from 4.17 dS m-1 to 7.1 dS m-1 at harvest. The soil ECe at harvest was 4.1 dS m-1 where good quality water was applied and 4.7 dSm-1 with irrigation water having ECe of 4.0 dS m-1. Soil ECe at harvest showed an increasing trend with the application of decreasing level of good quality water. However, with application of saline water in increasing amounts, the ECe increased due to introduction of more salts into the soil along with the irrigation water. This effect was more pronounced with application of irrigation water having EC 8.0 dS m-1 due to high salt content. The contents of Na+, K+, Cl- and SO4-2 in the soil saturation extract was found to be closely related to the soil ECe with R2 values of 0.84, 0.54, 0.87 and 0.65, respectively. The mean kernel and stover yields of maize were reduced by 24.2 and 18.5 % respectively in deficit irrigation treatment (50% CPE) as compared to irrigation level of 100% CPE. Statistically at par kernel and stover yields were obtained at irrigation levels of 100% and 75% CPE. Irrigation with saline water having EC of 8.0 dSm-1 significantly reduced the kernel, stover and cob yields of maize to the extent of 31.1, 46.4 and 26.2 % over that with good quality water. However, the differences in kernel yield of maize irrigated with good water to that with saline water of 4.0 dS m-1 was insignificant. The study revealed that irrigation with fresh water provides higher yield advantage in maize. However, under conditions of limited availability of irrigation water, irrigation with 4 dSm-1 saline water or deficit irrigation at 75% CPE may prove to be an alternative irrigation management option for maize production in coastal saline soil.Not Availabl

A synthetic tripeptide as a novel organo-gelator: a structural investigation

A self-associating synthetic tripeptide [Boc-Ala(1)-Aib(2)-beta-Ala(3)-OMe (Aib: alpha-amino-isobutyric acid, beta-Ala: beta-alanine)] forms thermoreversible transparent gels in various organic solvents and this offers the first example of a peptide gelator whose molecular self-assembly afforded for gelation has been characterised by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and FT-IR and NMR spectroscopic studies. The crystal structure of an analogous synthetic non-gelator tripeptide [Boc-Ala(1)-Gly(2)-beta-Ala(3)-OMe] is also discussed in light of the self-assembly of the gelator tripeptide. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved