Synonym: Pepper, Piper nigrum, Maricha.

Biological source: Pepper is the dried unripe fruit of perennial climbing vine Piper nigrum Linn.,

Family: Piperaceae.

Geographical source: It is Indigenous and cultivated in South lndia. It is also cultivated in Indonesia, Brazil, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. India ranks first in cultivation of this drug.

Macroscopic characters:

Colour: Blackish-brown or greyish-black.

Taste: Pungent.

Odour: Aromatic

Size: 3.5 – 6 mm in diameter;

Shape: globular, and coarsely reticulately wrinkled with remains of stigma at apex.

Chemical constituents:

Pepper contains

• An alkaloid piperine (5 – 9%),

• Volatile ail (1 – 2.5%),

• Pungent resin (6.0%),

• Piperidine and starch (about 30%).

• The volatile ail which is yellowish in colour contains mostly

• Phellandrene and caryaphyllene.

Uses:

The fruits are used as

• Aromatic, stimulant, stomachic and carminative.

• It causes feeling of warmth and used as condiment.

• It also stimulates taste-buds, with increase in gastric juice.

• The oil is mainly used as spice due to pungent taste.

• It is reported to enhance the bio-availability of certain drugs.

Substitutes:

1. Piper attenuatum is found in Vishakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh and Madurai and Tirunnelveli district of Tamil Nadu.

2. Piper brachystachyum is found in Tirunelveli and Nilgiri districts of Tamil Nadu.

3. Piper longum is available in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala States. It is also known as PIPALMAL in Hindi. It is an important substitute for the official drug.

References:

1. Trease D. & Evans W.C.: Text Book of Pharmacognosy: W.B. Saunders.

2. Tyler V. E. Brady L. R. & Robbers J. E.: Pharmacognosy; Lea Feibger, USA.

3. Wallis T. E.; Text Book of Pharmacognosy; CBS Publishers, Delhi.

4. Kokate C. K., Purohit A. P. & Gokhale S. B.: Pharmacognosy; Nirali Publications, Pune.

5. Harbone J. B.: Phytochemical Methods: A guide to modern techniques Analysis: Chapman & Hall, London.

6. Bruneton J.: Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants: Intercept Limited.