Bioactive Extracts of Capsicum Chinense in the Northern Amazon

Abstract

The objective of this work was to analyze the bioactive potential of hexane and methanol extracts of fruits of Capsicum spp., a kind of pepper collected in Roraima, Brazil, against the yeast Candida albicans, as well as antioxidant activity and antiacetylcholinesterase inhibition. The antioxidant activity of the methanol extract of the fruits was 82%. The antiacetylcholinesterase activity was high in the hexane extract reaching 71%. Hexane extract of the fruits did not present inhibition for Candida albicans. The present study demonstrated the efficacy of Capsicum spp. as a natural antioxidant and the presence of active chemical constituents that can aid in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. However, further studies are still needed to consolidate its use and application in the pharmaceutical field.