Search Results (16)

This contribution is aimed at analyzing a series of life-prolonging and rejuvenating treatments (bcud len), recipes of ambrosia for immortality (bdud rtsi sman), and yogic and meditative techniques incorporated in the Man ngag bye ba ring bsrel (Ten Million of Quintessential Instructions, The Relics; henceforth Ring bsrel), a medical corpus mainly authored by Zur mkhar ba mNyam nyid rdo rje (1439–1475). The many treads of mNyam nyid rdo rje’s literary production reflect his rNying ma and bKa’ brgyud spiritual legacies: the author systematically elaborated materials drawn from the rNying ma gter ma tradition and complex medico–alchemical practices ascribed to the third Karmapa Rang byung rdo rje (1284–1339) and O rgyan pa rin chen dpal (1230–1309). The key ingredients of the recipes include saxifrage [bdud rtsi ’od ldan; Micranthes melanocentra; Saxifraga melanocentra], purple sage [lug mur; Phlomoides bracteosa], potent substances such as black aconite [bstan dug; Aconitum spicatum;], nightshade [thang phrom; Anisodus spp.; Mandragora caulescens], mercury–sulfide ashes (zla bcud; bcud rgyal), aphrodisiacs containing salamander meat [da byid, gangs sbal; Batrachuporus pinchonii], caterpillar fungus [dByar rtswa dgun ’bu; Cordyceps sinensis], and other substances endowed with hot potencies that can enhance gtum mo practices such as the dwarf rhododendron [da lis; Rhododendron spp.] and compounds containing long peer [pi pi ling; Piper longum], black pepper, [pho bar is; Piper nigrum], ginger, and so forth. The consecrated medicines and the rituals can bestow protection from any sort of diseases, diseases-carrier forces (gdon), and poisoning and lead to spiritual achievements. The analysis of these scriptural materials brings into focus the historical interrelation of diverse traditions that are represented by the heterogeneity of ideas and practices handed down through the Zur medical lineage. Full article

In tropical countries, combating leaf curl disease in hot peppers has become important in improvement programs. Leaf curl disease is caused by whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) transmitted begomoviruses, which mainly include chilli leaf curl virus (ChiLCV). However, multiple begomoviruses have also been found to be associated with this disease. The Capsicum annuum line, DLS-Sel-10, was found to be a tolerant source against this disease during field screening. In this study, we characterized the resistance of DLS-sel-10 against chilli leaf curl virus (ChiLCV) in comparison to the susceptible cultivar Phule Mukta (PM), focusing on the level, stage, and nature of resistance. Comprehensive investigations involved screening of DLS-Sel-10 against the whitefly vector ChiLCV. The putative tolerant line displayed reduced virus infection at the seedling stage, with increasing resistance during vegetative, flowering, and fruiting stages. Both DLS-Sel-10 and PM could be infected with ChiLCV, although DLS-Sel-10 remained symptomless. Insect feeding assays revealed DLS-Sel-10 as a less preferred host for whiteflies compared to PM. In conclusion, DLS-Sel-10 demonstrated tolerance not only to ChiLCV but also served as an unfavorable host for the whitefly vector. The study highlighted an age-dependent increase in tolerance within DLS-Sel-10, showcasing its potential for effective leaf curl disease management in chilli. Full article

The Capsicum annuum Mildew Locus O (CaMLO2) gene is vital for plant defense responses against fungal pathogens like powdery mildew, a significant threat to greenhouse pepper crops. Recent advancements in genome editing, particularly using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9, have unlocked unprecedented opportunities for modifying disease-resistant genes and improving crop characteristics. However, the application of CRISPR technology in pepper cultivars has been limited, and the regeneration process remains challenging. This study addresses these limitations by investigating the feasibility of using the validated CaMLO2 genetic scissors system in six commercial hot pepper cultivars. We assessed the gene-editing efficiency of the previously reported high-efficiency Cas9/CaMLO2single-guide RNA (sgRNA)1-ribonucleoprotein (RNP) and the low-efficiency Cas9/CaMLO2sgRNA2-RNP systems by extending their application from the bell pepper ‘Dempsey’ and the hot pepper ‘CM334’ to six commercial hot pepper cultivars. Across the six cultivars, CaMLO2sgRNA1 demonstrated an editing efficiency ranging from 6.3 to 17.7%, whereas CaMLO2sgRNA2 exhibited no editing efficiency, highlighting the superior efficacy of sgRNA1. These findings indicate the potential of utilizing the verified Cas9/CaMLO2sgRNA1-RNP system to achieve efficient gene editing at the CaMLO2 locus in different Capsicum annuum cultivars regardless of their cultivar genotypes. This study provides an efficacious genome-editing tool for developing improved pepper cultivars with CaMLO2-mediated enhanced disease resistance. Full article

Hot pepper (Capsicum annuum) represents one of the most widespread functional foods of the Mediterranean diet, and is associated with a reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mental disorders. In particular, its bioactive spicy molecules, named Capsaicinoids, exhibit polypharmacological properties. Among them, Capsaicin (trans-8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) is the most studied and reported in variegated scientific contributions for its beneficial effects, often linked to mechanisms of action unrelated to the activation of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1). In this study, we present the application of in silico methods to Capsaicin for evaluating its inhibitory activity against the tumor-associated human (h) expressed CA IX and XII. In vitro assays confirmed Capsaicin inhibitory activity towards the most relevant tumor-related hCA isoforms. In particular, the hCAs IX and XII showed an experimental K_I value of 0.28 μM and 0.064 μM, respectively. Then, an A549 model of non-small cell lung cancer, typically characterized by an elevated expression of hCA IX and XII, was employed to test the inhibitory effects of Capsaicin in vitro under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Finally, the migration assay revealed that Capsaicin [10 µM] inhibits cells from moving in the A549 cells model. Full article

Olive oil, a fundamental component of the Mediterranean diet, is recognized as a functional food due to its health-promoting composition. The concentration of phenolic compounds in olive oil is influenced by various factors such as genetics, agro-climatic conditions, and technological processes. Therefore, to ensure an ideal intake of phenolics through the diet, it is recommended to produce functional enriched olive oil that contains a high concentration of bioactive compounds. The co-extraction technique is used to create innovative and differentiated products that promote the sensory and health-related composition of oils. To enrich olive oil, various natural sources of bioactive compounds can be used, including raw materials derived from the same olive tree such as olive leaves, as well as other compounds from plants and vegetables, such as herbs and spices (garlic, lemon, hot pepper, rosemary, thyme, and oregano). The development of functional enriched olive oils can contribute to the prevention of chronic diseases and improve consumers’ quality of life. This mini-review compiles and discusses relevant scientific information related to the development of enriched olive oil using the co-extraction technique and its positive effects on the health-related composition of oils. Full article

Bacterial spot disease on peppers is caused by four species of the genus Xanthomonas. This disease causes black spot lesions not only on the leaves but also on the fruit, leading to yield and quality loss. Xanthomonas species cause major disease outbreaks in tropical, subtropical and humid continental regions worldwide. Bacterial blight caused by xanthomonads occurs on both greenhouse- and field-grown peppers and is particularly important in areas characterized by hot and humid environmental conditions. As pesticides are currently not sufficiently effective in the control of bacterial spot, the development of pepper varieties resistant to Xanthomonas species, including X. hortorum pv. gardneri, is of primary importance for sustainable production. In our research, 119 lines of Capsicum baccatum from the USDA ARS gene bank (Griffin, GA) and MATE (Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences) were tested against strains of X. hortorum pv. gardneri under greenhouse conditions. Four accessions of the wild pepper species C. baccatum appeared to be resistant to seven strains of X. hortorum pv. gardneri in greenhouse trials. The resistant genotypes of X. hortorum pv. gardneri identified in this study can be used for the resistance gene pyramidation against different bacterial spotted Xanthomonas species in pepper. Full article

Today’s sedentary lifestyle with too much food and too little exercise has made metabolic syndrome a pandemic. Metabolic syndrome is a major risk factor for type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. New knowledge of medical and nutraceutical intervention in the early stages of metabolic syndrome is central to prevent these deadly complications. People who eat chili pepper on a regular basis seem to stay healthier and live longer than those who do not. Animal experiments suggest a therapeutic potential for dietary capsaicin, the active principle in hot chili pepper, to reduce the risk of developing metabolic syndrome. This is an attractive theory since capsaicin has been a culinary staple for thousands of years, and is generally deemed safe when consumed in hedonically acceptable doses. The broad expression of the capsaicin receptor TRPV1 in metabolically active tissues lends experimental support to this theory. This review critically evaluates the available experimental and clinical evidence for and against dietary capsaicin being an effective dietary means to improve cardio-metabolic health. It comes to the conclusion that although a chili pepper-rich diet is associated with a reduced risk of dying due to cardiovascular disease, dietary capsaicin has no clear effect on blood glucose or lipid profiles. Therefore, the reduced mortality risk may reflect the beneficial action of digested capsaicin on gut microbiota. Full article

Capsaicin is a naturally occurring alkaloid derived from chili pepper which is responsible for its hot, pungent taste. It exerts multiple pharmacological actions, including pain-relieving, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, and antioxidant effects. Previous studies have shown that capsaicin significantly affects the contractility and automaticity of the heart and alters cardiovascular functions. In this study, the effects of capsaicin were investigated on voltage-gated ion currents in rabbit ventricular myocytes. Capsaicin inhibited rapidly activated (I_Kr) and slowly activated (I_Ks) K⁺ currents and transient outward (I_to) K⁺ current with IC₅₀ values of 3.4 µM,14.7 µM, and 9.6 µM, respectively. In addition, capsaicin, at higher concentrations, suppressed voltage-gated Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ currents and inward rectifier I_K1 current with IC₅₀ values of 42.7 µM, 34.9 µM, and 38.8 µM, respectively. Capsaicin inhibitions of I_Na, I_L-Ca, I_Kr, I_Ks, I_to, and I_K1 were not reversed in the presence of capsazepine (3 µM), a TRPV1 antagonist. The inhibitory effects of capsaicin on these currents developed gradually, reaching steady-state levels within 3 to 6 min, and the recoveries were usually incomplete during washout. In concentration-inhibition curves, apparent Hill coefficients higher than unity suggested multiple interaction sites of capsaicin on these channels. Collectively, these findings indicate that capsaicin affects cardiac electrophysiology by acting on a diverse range of ion channels and suggest that caution should be exercised when capsaicin is administered to carriers of cardiac channelopathies or to individuals with arrhythmia-prone conditions, such as ischemic heart diseases. Full article

Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) plants produce berry fruits that are used as spices. Here, we examined the viromes of 15 pepper cultivars through RNA sequencing. We obtained 1,325 virus-associated contigs derived from 8 virus species. Bean broad wilt virus 2 (BBWV2) and cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) were identified as the major viruses infecting pepper plants, followed by potato virus Y, bell pepper endornavirus, and hot pepper endornavirus. The proportion of viral reads in each transcriptome ranged from 0.04% to 24.5%. BBWV2 was the dominant virus in seven cultivars, whereas CMV was dominant in five cultivars. All the bell pepper cultivars showed severe viral disease symptoms, whereas the commercially developed hot pepper cultivars were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms. In addition, 111 complete viral segments were obtained from 7 viruses. Based on the obtained viral genomes, the genetic relationship between the identified viruses and quasispecies of BBWV2 and CMV in each pepper plant was determined. Newly designed primers for nine viruses confirmed the results of RNA sequencing. Taken together, this study, for the first time, provides a comprehensive overview of viromes in 15 major pepper cultivars through RNA sequencing. Full article

Bacterial wilt caused by the β-proteobacterium Ralstonia solanacearum is one of the most destructive soil-borne pathogens in peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) worldwide. Cultivated pepper fields in Korea face a continuous spread of this pathogen due to global warming. The most efficient and sustainable strategy for controlling bacterial wilt is to develop resistant pepper varieties. Resistance, which is quantitatively inherited, occurs differentially depending on R. solanacearum isolates. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to identify resistance quantitative trait loci (QTLs) in two F₂ populations derived from self-pollination of a highly resistant pepper cultivar ‘Konesian hot’ using a moderately pathogenic ‘HS’ isolate and a highly pathogenic ‘HWA’ isolate of R. solanacearum for inoculation, via genotyping-by-sequencing analysis. QTL analysis revealed five QTLs, Bwr6w-7.2, Bwr6w-8.1, Bwr6w-9.1, Bwr6w-9.2, and Bwr6w-10.1, conferring resistance to the ‘HS’ isolate with R² values of 13.05, 12.67, 15.07, 10.46, and 9.69%, respectively, and three QTLs, Bwr6w-5.1, Bwr6w-6.1, and Bwr6w-7.1, resistant to the ‘HWA’ isolate with phenotypic variances of 19.67, 16.50, and 12.56%, respectively. Additionally, six high-resolution melting (HRM) markers closely linked to the QTLs were developed. In all the markers, the mean disease index of the paternal genotype was significantly lower than that of the maternal genotype. The QTLs and HRM markers are expected to be useful for the development of pepper varieties with high resistance to bacterial wilt. Full article

Background: Capsaicin, the hot pepper agent, produces burning followed by desensitization. To treat localized itch or pain with minimal burning, low capsaicin concentrations can be repeatedly applied. We hypothesized that alternatively controlled release of capsaicin from poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles desensitizes superficially terminating nociceptors, reducing burning. Methods: Capsaicin-loaded PLGA nanoparticles were prepared (single-emulsion solvent evaporation) and characterized (size, morphology, capsaicin loading, encapsulation efficiency, in vitro release profile). Capsaicin-PLGA nanoparticles were applied to murine skin and evaluated in healthy human participants (n = 21) for 4 days under blinded conditions, and itch and nociceptive sensations evoked by mechanical, heat stimuli and pruritogens cowhage, β-alanine, BAM8-22 and histamine were evaluated. Results: Nanoparticles (loading: 58 µg capsaicin/mg) released in vitro 23% capsaicin within the first hour and had complete release at 72 h. In mice, 24 h post-application Capsaicin-PLGA nanoparticles penetrated the dermis and led to decreased nociceptive behavioral responses to heat and mechanical stimulation (desensitization). Application in humans produced a weak to moderate burning, dissipating after 3 h. A loss of heat pain up to 2 weeks was observed. After capsaicin nanoparticles, itch and nociceptive sensations were reduced in response to pruritogens cowhage, β-alanine or BAM8-22, but were normal to histamine. Conclusions: Capsaicin nanoparticles could be useful in reducing pain and itch associated with pruritic diseases that are histamine-independent. Full article

Guizhou province is the largest area of hot pepper cultivation and processing in China. However, diseases and pests are major bottlenecks for the sustainable development of the industry. This study proposes a solution that combines intelligent monitoring equipment, a prediction model and decision support system for hot peppers, including a demonstration of the solution in Guizhou province. We scouted hot pepper diseases and pests in Zunyi city, and deployed weather stations and automatic pathogens and pest monitoring equipment. A prediction model was developed to forecast powdery mildew and anthracnose based on long short-term memory, with accuracy of 0.74 and 0.68, respectively. Using big data analysis and an app for pest outbreaks as the front desks, we developed an epidemic monitoring and warning system for hot peppers in Guizhou. The results could effectively serve grass-roots managers, increase productivity, reduce production costs and overall have a high demonstration effect. This concept could be extended to other crops to accelerate the process of agricultural modernization in China. Full article

Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) is a widely grown vegetable crop that is nutritious and flavorful and economically important for growers worldwide. A significant limiting factor in the postharvest storage and long-distance transport of peppers is gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea. The pathogen is widespread in nature, highly aggressive, and able to cause disease at cool refrigerated temperatures during transport and storage. Fungicides have been relied on in the past to reduce bell pepper rots in storage; however, concern over residues on the fruit and environmental degradation have heightened the importance of natural and generally recognized as safe (GRAS) solutions that effectively limit disease. Essential oils, plant extracts, inorganic chemicals, biocontrols, defense activators, hot water treatments, and modified storage conditions have been tested to reduce losses from gray mold. Despite significant amounts of research on natural methods of control of B. cinerea postharvest, research specific to gray mold in peppers is limited. The objective of this review is to summarize the research conducted with environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical fungicides to control this important pathogen of peppers postharvest. To ensure a steady supply of healthy and nutritious produce, more research is needed on the development, use, and application of non-hazardous Botrytis control methods. Until an effective solution is found, using a combined approach including environmental controls, sanitation, and GRAS products remain paramount to limit Botrytis fruit rot of peppers postharvest. Full article

Hot pepper (Capsicum annum L.) is a major spice crop and is used worldwide for its nutritional value. In the field, its plant is susceptible to various fungal diseases, including fusarium wilt, caused by soil-borne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. capsici, which can survive in the soil for several years. The infected plant can be recognized by the yellowing of older leaves and downward curling of apical shoots, followed by plant wilting and ultimately the death of the plant. The resistance mechanism in plants is controlled by a single dominant gene, and conventional plant breeding techniques are used to develop a wilt-resistant germplasm. Non-conventional techniques such as gene pyramiding and expression enhancement of antifungal genes could be used to shorten the time to develop resistance against fusarium wilt in hot peppers. In this review, we discuss different aspects of the disease and the molecular basis of resistance in chili/hot pepper plants. Furthermore, this review covers the scope of conventional and non-conventional breeding strategies and different management approaches used to tackle the disease. Full article

The use of conventional classification techniques to recognize diseases and pests can lead to an incorrect judgment on whether crops are diseased or not. Additionally, hot pepper diseases, such as “anthracnose” and “bacterial spot” can be erroneously judged, leading to incorrect disease recognition. To address these issues, multi-recognition methods, such as Google Cloud Vision, suggest multiple disease candidates and allow the user to make the final decision. Similarity-based image search techniques, along with multi-recognition, can also be used for this purpose. Content-based image retrieval techniques have been used in several conventional similarity-based image searches, using descriptors to extract features such as the image color and edge. In this study, we use eight pre-trained deep learning models (VGG16, VGG19, Resnet 50, etc.) to extract the deep features from images. We conducted experiments using 28,011 image data of 34 types of hot pepper diseases and pests. The search results for diseases and pests were similar to query images with deep features using the k-nearest neighbor method. In top-1 to top-5, when using the deep features based on the Resnet 50 model, we achieved recognition accuracies of approximately 88.38–93.88% for diseases and approximately 95.38–98.42% for pests. When using the deep features extracted from the VGG16 and VGG19 models, we recorded the second and third highest performances, respectively. In the top-10 results, when using the deep features extracted from the Resnet 50 model, we achieved accuracies of 85.6 and 93.62% for diseases and pests, respectively. As a result of performance comparison between the proposed method and the simple convolutional neural network (CNN) model, the proposed method recorded 8.62% higher accuracy in diseases and 14.86% higher in pests than the CNN classification model. Full article