Süstemaatiline kuuluvus (APG IV)
Riik: Taimed (Plantae)
Klaad: Soontaimed (Tracheophyta)
Klaad: Katteseemnetaimed (Angiospermae)
Klaad: Päriskaheidulehelised (Eudicotyledonae)
Selts: Maavitsalaadsed (Solanales)
Sugukond: Maavitsalised (Solanaceae)
Perekond: Paprika (Capsicum)
Liik: Harilik paprika - Capsicum annuum Grossum

Botaaniline kirjeldus
Perekonna Capsicum liikide ja kultivaride morfoloogia varieerub suuresti. Tšilli on tugevalt harunenud poolpõõsas, mille kõrgus jääb 0,5-1,5 meetri vahele, ja mida tavaliselt kasvatatakse üheaastase kultuurina. Taimel on ebakorrapäraselt nurgelisest ümarani ulatuv vars, mille läbimõõt võib olla kuni 1 cm ning mis on tugevalt harunenud. Lehed paiknevad vaheldumisi ja neil on kuni 10 cm pikkused leherootsud. Lehelabad on munajad, tipu poole teravnevad, ulatudes suuruseni 10 x 5 cm. Lehtede ääred on tavaliselt terved ja peaaegu karvutud, värvuselt heledast kuni tumeda roheliseni. [1,2]

Taimel on tavaliselt üksikud õied, mis asuvad okste harudes. Õieraod on õitsemisel kuni 3 cm pikad, viljade puhul kuni 8 cm pikad. Kellukakujuline tupplehtedest koosnev tupp on püsiv ja suureneb viljade kasvades, tavaliselt on sellel viis silmapaistvat hammast. Õied ise on kellukakujulised, 5-7 kroonlehega, läbimõõduga 0,8-1,5 cm, enamasti valged. Tolmukaid on viis kuni seitse, nende tolmukapead varieeruvad kahvatusinisest kuni lillakateni. Emakakael on niiditaoline, valge või lillakas. Vili on ebamari, mis sõltuvalt sordist erineb suuruse, kuju, värvuse ja teravuse poolest. Seemned on ümarad, lapikud, 3-4,5 mm läbimõõduga ja umbes 1 mm paksud, helekollased. [1,2]

Leviala
Magus paprika ehk harilik paprika on laialdaselt levinud rohkem Aasias, Põhja-Ameerikas, Lõuna- ja Kesk-Euroopas ning Aafrikas. Eestis kasvab kultuurtaimena. [3]

Toime ja kasutamine
Magus paprikat kasutatakse kõige rohkem söögitaimena. Ravimtaimena kasutatakse paikselt osteoartriidi, vöötohatise, reumatoidartriidi, postherpeetilise neuralgia, kolmiknärvi neuralgia, diabeetilise neuropaatia, fibromüalgia ja seljavaluga seotud valu raviks. Teised on kasutanud paprikat lihasspasmide leevendamiseks ja isegi kõripõletiku kuristamiseks. [4, 5]

Kasutatud allikad
1. Flowers of India. (n.d.). Capsicum. Retrieved from https://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Capsicum.html
2. Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2023, November 17). chili pepper. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/plant/chili-pepper
3. Capsicum annuum | Description, Uses, Varieties, Family, & Facts | Britannica. (n.d.). https://www.britannica.com/plant/Capsicum-annuum
4. Mandal, S. K., Rath, S. K., Logesh, R., Mishra, S. K., Devkota, H. P., & Das, N. (2023). Capsicum annuum L. and its bioactive constituents: A critical review of a traditional culinary spice in terms of its modern pharmacological potentials with toxicological issues. Phytotherapy Research, 37(3), 965–1002. https://doi.org/10.1002/PTR.7660 
5. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. (2016). In The International Encyclopedia of Adverse Drug Reactions and Interactions (Sixteenth Edition), (pp. 424-426). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-53717-1.01458-X

Classification (APG IV)
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Capsicum
Species: Bell pepper - Capsicum annuum var. Grossum

Botanical Description
The morphology of species and cultivars within the genus Capsicum varies greatly. Chili peppers are heavily branched semi-shrubs, reaching heights between 0.5 and 1.5 meters, though they are typically cultivated as annual crops. The stems are irregularly angular to rounded, up to 1 cm in diameter, and heavily branched. Leaves are alternately arranged with petioles up to 10 cm long. The blades are ovate, tapering towards the tip, and may reach 10 x 5 cm in size. The leaf margins are typically entire, almost glabrous, and range in color from light to dark green. [1,2]

The plant typically produces solitary flowers at branch forks. Flower stalks are up to 3 cm long during blooming and extend up to 8 cm when bearing fruit. The calyx, formed from persistent sepals, enlarges as the fruit develops and often features five prominent teeth. The bell-shaped flowers have 5–7 petals, measuring 0.8–1.5 cm in diameter, and are usually white. There are 5–7 stamens, with anthers varying in color from pale blue to purple. The style is threadlike, white or purplish. The fruit is a berry that varies widely in size, shape, color, and pungency depending on the cultivar. Seeds are round, flattened, 3–4.5 mm in diameter, approximately 1 mm thick, and pale yellow. [1,2]

Habitat
Bell peppers (Capsicum annuum) are widely distributed and cultivated in Asia, North America, South and Central Europe, and Africa. In Estonia, they are grown as a cultivated crop. [3]

Effects and Uses
Sweet and chili peppers are most commonly consumed as food. Medicinally, chili peppers are used topically for conditions like osteoarthritis, shingles, rheumatoid arthritis, postherpetic neuralgia, trigeminal neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy, fibromyalgia, and back pain. They are also utilized to relieve muscle spasms and, in some cases, as a gargle for throat inflammation. [4,5]

Chili peppers contain capsaicin, a bioactive compound responsible for their pungency and many of their therapeutic effects. Capsaicin's mechanisms include desensitizing sensory neurons, thereby reducing pain perception. It is also being explored for its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. [4]

References
1. Flowers of India. Capsicum. Retrieved from Flowers of India.
2. Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Chili pepper." Encyclopedia Britannica (2023). Retrieved from Britannica.
3. "Capsicum annuum." Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from Britannica.
4. Mandal, S. K., Rath, S. K., Logesh, R., Mishra, S. K., Devkota, H. P., & Das, N. (2023). Capsicum annuum L. and its bioactive constituents: A review. Phytotherapy Research, 37(3), 965–1002. DOI:10.1002/PTR.7660.
5. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs (2016). "Capsaicin and Adverse Reactions." The International Encyclopedia of Adverse Drug Reactions and Interactions. DOI:10.1016/B978-0-444-53717-1.01458-X.