Effect of a mixture of red pepper (Capsicum frutescens) and an amino-acid on gastric acid secretion.

The effects of a mixture of red pepper suspension and alpha-alanine (an amino-acid) on gastric acid secretion in 33 duodenal ulcer and 18 non-duodenal ulcer patients were studied. This mixture caused an increase of gastric acid in the two groups of patients, more so in the duodenal ulcer group (0.025 > P > 0.010). Compared with the results of previous studies the administration of alpha-alanine in red pepper suspension produced less gastric acid than the fresh red pepper suspension alone.