Capsicum frutescens
Capsicum frutescens, commonly known as the wild chili or bird pepper, is a versatile medicinal plant belonging to the Solanaceae family. Renowned for its intense heat, it contains high concentrations of capsaicin, offering potent anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidant properties used globally to support digestive health and pain management.
- Scientific name: Capsicum frutescens
- Family: Solanaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified within the order Solanales and the family Solanaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Capsicum, which includes the species Capsicum frutescens.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Solanales | WCVP |
| Family | Solanaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Capsicum | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Capsicum frutescens, is referred to by various common names depending on the region and language. In Simplified Chinese contexts, it is known as 灌木状辣椒, a name used in mainland China (zh-cn), Singapore (zh-sg), and other areas utilizing the simplified script (zh-hans). In Traditional Chinese contexts, it is identified as 灌木狀辣椒, which is the standard nomenclature in Hong Kong (zh-hk), Taiwan, and other regions using the traditional script (zh-hanth).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 灌木状辣椒 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 灌木狀辣椒 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 灌木狀辣椒 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 灌木状辣椒 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 灌木状辣椒 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 灌木狀辣椒 | Wikidata |
| pl | Papryka owocowa | Wikidata |
| ca | pebre de cirereta | Wikidata |
| fi | pensaspaprika | Wikidata |
| hu | cserjés paprika | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution concentrated within the northern subtropical regions. In Northern Africa, it can be found growing across the territories of Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. Its presence extends further west into the Macaronesian islands. Specifically, it is located within the Canary Islands. Additionally, the species is documented inhabiting the island of Madeira.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Africa | Algeria | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Morocco | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Tunisia | WCVP |
| Macaronesia | Canary Is. | WCVP |
| Macaronesia | Madeira | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Togo | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Burundi | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Gabon | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Capsicum frutescens, is valued for its potent medicinal properties which are primarily derived from its vibrant fruits. These small, often spicy fruits contain high concentrations of capsaicin, the active compound responsible for their therapeutic effects. When processed into fruit extracts, these components become highly concentrated, making them effective for topical applications to relieve pain or as dietary supplements to stimulate metabolism and digestion.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 3
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| fruits | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fruit extracts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Capsicum frutescens has 19 reported phytochemicals identified across 27 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, vitamin C, 4-hydroxy-l-glutamic acid, aflatoxins.
- Total chemicals
- 19
- Scientific sources
- 27
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| capsaicin | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |
| dihydrocapsaicin | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| vitamin C | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 4-hydroxy-l-glutamic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aflatoxins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| amine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ascorbic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| benzoic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| caffeic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| capsaicinoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Capsicum frutescens has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant.
- Total activities
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antibacterial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Capsicum frutescens has 11 reported medicinal uses identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include pain, Newcastle disease, anemia, antioxidant, diabetes mellitus.
- Total uses
- 11
- Scientific sources
- 12
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pain | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Newcastle disease | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| anemia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diabetes mellitus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| lipid peroxidation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| malaria | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oxidative stress | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| parasitemia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| thrombosis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |