PAPRIKA 609 



3-celled stalks and multicellular glandular heads; collenchymatous 

 cells with suberized walls and containing yellowish-red oil globules 

 and irregular masses of chromoplastids; epidermal cells, polygonal, 

 the cuticle being striated. 



Powdered capsicum is sometimes admixed with about 1 per cent 

 of a fixed oil to improve its appearance, and such powders are likely 

 to contain in addition some of the commercial starches or by-products 

 obtained in the manufacture of cereal products. 



Constituents. Two crystalline pungent principles which are 

 found principally in the dissepiments of the fruit: capsaicin, which 

 is slightly soluble in water and is volatile at 115 C. forming irritating 

 vapors; and capsacutin, which is so powerful that 1 part in 11,000,- 

 000 of water has a distinct pungent taste. Capsicum also contains 

 a volatile alkaloid resembling coniine; a volatile oil with an odor 

 of parsley; resin; a small quantity of starch; a fixed oil, consisting 

 of oleic, palmitic and stearic acids; and yields 4 to 6 per cent of ash. 



The red coloring principle of the pericarp is very slightly soluble 

 in alcohol, but soluble in ether, petroleum ether, carbon disulphide 

 and chloroform. 



Allied Drugs. A capsicum of inferior quality known as BOMBAY 

 PEPPER is obtained from plants growing in the vicinity of the River 

 Niger in Africa. The fruits are dull yellow or brown in color, 2 to 3 

 cm. long and about 10 mm. in diameter. 



At the present time a considerable amount of a small spheroidal 

 chilli pepper known as " cherries " is imported from India. 



Paprika, also known as Hungarian Pepper or Paprika, Turkish 

 Pepper or Paprika, or Garden Pepper. This is a large fruited pepper 

 obtained from a variety of Capsicum annuum growing in Hungary. 

 Its origin is somewhat obscure. It apparently is indigenous to 

 America and can be traced from its introduction into Spain thence to 

 Greece, Turkey and Hungary. Paprika is recognized by the German 

 Pharmacopoeia. The fruits when fresh are 5 to 10 cm. in length, 

 5 to 7 cm. in diameter, more or less inflated, externally of a bright 

 green, yellow or red color; the pericarp is 2 to 3 mm. in thickness, 

 enclosing a large cavity, which has 1 or 2 dissepirrients at the base, 

 and contains numerous flattened seeds about 3 to 5 mm. in diameter. 



Standard of Purity. Red pepper is the red, dried, ripe fruit of 

 any species of Capsicum. It contains not more than 8 per cent of 

 total ash, nor more than 1 per cent of ash insoluble in hydrochloric 

 acid. 



Cayenne Pepper, Cayenne, is the dried, ripe fruit of Capsicum 

 frutescens L., Capsicum baccatum L., or some other small-fruited 



