HEALTH BENEFITS OF PEPPER FRUITS IN THE BODY SYSTEM

 Pepper fruit [scientifically known as Dennettia tripetala G. Baker.] is a peppery fruit from the Annonaceae family, and it is widely consumed in West African countries like Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, and the likes.

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Plants have remained an integral source of food and nutrients for both humans and animals. We simply cannot survive without them! Interestingly, they are so close to us for our usage but unfortunately, we sometimes fail to acknowledge and utilise these plants properly as we ought to do. These plants contain several chemical compounds essential for the metabolic functioning of our body systems. Some of these plants provide us food, nutritional values and health benefits while some provide us with no nutrients and could even be toxic to human health. 
As a result, identifying these beneficial plants are highly imperative as a guide for gaining all the benefits they offer. One of these essential beneficial plant is the pepper fruit however, many people are unaware of the wondrous things they stand to gain from this fruit. Pepper fruit, which is botanically known as Dennettia tripetala G. Baker, belongs to the Annonaceae family. It is a tropical plant that is mostly dominant in the West African region especially Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Cameroon.
Dennettia tripetala (pepper fruit) is well known as mmimmi by the igbo people of Nigeria, Ata Igebere or igberi by the Yorubas, Imako by the Niger Deltas and Urhobo, ako by Bini, Nkarika by the Efik and Ibibio. It is a pungent, pepperish, spicy medicinal plant that is characterised by greenish appearance when unripe but tends to be reddish or pinkish in colour when ripe. Pepper fruit tree thrives mainly in the Savannah and rainforest zones while the fruit usually ripens between April and May. Edible mature pepper fruit is mostly chewed raw but can also be used for food preparations and for preparing herbal medicines. Both the fruits, leaves, roots and barks of the Dennettia tripetala plant are distinguished by their strong pungent, spicy and pepperish taste, fragrance and aroma (Achinewhu et al, 1995).
Pepper fruit has three green broad sepals and fleshy petals that are yellow in colour. The leaves are oblong in shape, alternates on each other and taper at the apex. The leaves can be dried and stored for a long period of time without any microbial attack. According to Okwu and Morah (2004), Dennettia tripetala fruits can serve as food and herbs for producing herbal medicines. Both the fruits, leaves and roots of the pepper fruit are useful for medicinal purposes Iwu (1989). Moreover, Egharevba et.al. (2015) also support that this fruit is effective for ethnomedical (traditional medical) purposes. Pepper fruit contains both volatile and essential oils. The taste, aroma and pungency of this fruit are as a result of its constituent of volatile and essential (oleoresins) oils. Pepper fruit is normally chewed as a fruity snack due to its peppery stimulating effects. This peppery taste tends to stimulate people when they chew it.

10 BENEFITS OF PEPPER FRUITS.

1. Helps Treat Infantile Convulsion

The Pepper fruit oil extract holds a compound named 1-nitro-2-phenol ethane which has an anticonvulsant and hypnotic effect that can heal infant convulsion effectively.

The leaves are used for this health condition. It is squeezed and the liquid content drain for oral treatment of convulsion in infants.

2. Benefits as a Postpartum Tonic 

Pepper fruits are used as one of the ingredients for the preparation of pepper soup for women who have just given birth. The fruit seeds are vital for preparing food for newborn mothers without delay after childbirth as the spice aids in uterus contraction.

3. Helps In The Treatment of Typhoid

The healthy fruits and leaves can be used for making herbal medicines for treating typhoid.

4. Cures Kidney And Liver Damage

This African fruit improves the damage in liver and kidney, which is related to the impact of multiple exposures to carbon tetrachloride.

5. Treats Gastro-Intestinal Diseases

The leaves, roots, and fruits can be used for producing herbal medicines for treating diarrhea, stomach upset, and vomiting and worm infestation.

6. Anti-Inflammatory Properties

The essential oil from the fruit contains anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. As a result, the oil can be used for reducing body inflammation and pain.

7. Anti-Viral Properties

This African fruit is useful for fighting viruses such as cold, cough and fever.

8. Acts As an Insecticidal Property

Hexanolic extract from Dennettia tripetala fruits is latent as an insecticidal property.

9. Controls Blood Sugar Level

It controls blood sugar level, due to its antihyperglycemic properties.

10. Treats Glaucoma

Pepper fruit  seed can reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) considerably up to 25% in people suffering from glaucoma. It’s evident that it can be used in managing and preventing glaucoma.