Botany names

Description - Much branched climbing shrubs rooting at nodes. Leaves entire, cordate. Flowers minute, in spikes. Fruits ovoid or globose, bright red when ripe. Piper nigrum is a robust woody climber with large, broad, ovate or round leaves. Flowers borne in long spikes; fruits small, globose, 6-7 mm diameter, yellow, turning red when ripe. The dried unripe fruits constitute the drug Black Pepper.

Chemical Constituents- Stem contains sesquisabinene, piperine, hentriacontane, Beta-sitosterol. Fruits contain amide - pipericide, oleoresin, alkaloid piperine, volatile oil. Fruit shell yields volatile oil. It contains Piperitine and chavicine and essential oil.

Use - Fruits are the source of black Pepper, employed as a stimulant, carminative and stomachic; in weakness due to fevers, as a stomachic, and as an antiperiodic in malarial fever. Externally applied as a rubefacient for relaxed sore throat, piles and cutaneous troubles. taken in larger quantities, it gives a feeling of warmth and causes sweating. It is also diuretic but can cause irritation in urinary tract. Certain experiments on seeds have shown antibiotic activity of seeds. The Black Pepper is used in many culinary preparations as a condiment and carminative.