In vitro antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities and in vivo toxicological assessment (Zebrafish embryo model) of ethanolic extracts of Capsicum chinense Jacq.

The ripe and dried fruits of organic pepper Capsicum chinense Jacq., obtained during planting, cultivation and harvesting, were subjected to solid-liquid extraction using a Soxhlet apparatus with hexane to remove non-polar compounds, and then with ethanol to remove the target compounds. The ethanolic extracts were characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) determining the composition of capsaicin (74.1%), dyhidrocapsaicin (8.9%), docosenamide (11.7%), ethyl linoleate (3.2%) and ethyl palmitate (2.1%). Three different bio-screenings: (1) the Trolox® equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC); (2) the inhibition of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and; (3) the embryo toxicity and the induction of phenotypic changes in the Zebrafish model were used. It was found that the ethanol extracts possess antioxidant activity (TAA 1800 ± 91 mmol Trolox®/kg extract) and AChE inhibition (IC50 18.8 ± 0.5 µg/ml), as well as a moderate toxicity in zebrafish embryos (LC50 39.7 ± 2.1 µg/ml), and good dual activity that make them extremely important not only for nutrition, but also as pharmacological substrates. Key words: Capsicum chinense, capsaicinoid, acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, Trolox® equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), zebrafish, developmental toxicity.