Black Pepper

Overview

The plant is native to the Western Ghats of Kerala State in India, where it grows wild in the mountains. It is cultivated all over the tropics as a commercial crop. Vietnam, Indonesia, Brazil and India are the major producers. Black pepper are popularly used as a hot and pungent spice for flavouring food, used in traditional medicine.

Vernacular Names

Trieu (Vietnamese), Phrik thai (Thailand), Pimienta (Spanish), Burakkupeppaa (Japanese), Pepe (Italian), Pfeffer (German), Paminta (Philippines), Hu jiao (Chinese).

Agroecology

A plant of the hot and humid lowland tropics, where it grows best at elevations up to 500 m. Annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 35 °C, a mean annual rainfall in the range 2,500 - 4,000 mm. Thrives in sheltered positions in semi-shade, prefers a neutral soil rich in organic matter, pH in the range 6 - 7. Level ground is most suitable for the production of pepper, provided there is no flooding, but it is often grown in rolling country or on hill slopes of varying steepness.

Morphology

• Stems - attach themselves to other vegetation by means of adventitious roots.
• Leaves - almond-shaped, tapering towards the tip, dark green and shiny above, palergreen below, arranged alternately on the stems.
• Flowers - borne in clusters along flowering stalks known as spikes. 50-150 whitish to yellow-greenflowers are produced on a spike.
• Fruits - round, berry-like, up to 6 mm in diameter,green at first but turning red as they ripen, each containing a single seed. 50-60 fruits are borne on each spike. 

Cultivation

• By seeds - germinate in 2 - 3 weeks.
• By cuttings - very easy and the most common commercial method of propagation. Use shoots of wood, about 45cm long, taken from parts of the plant that have already flowered.

Chemical Constituents

Piperine, pellitorine, guineensine, pipnoohine, trichostachine, piperonal, alkamides, piptigrine, wisanine, dipiperamide D, dipiperamide E, resin (oleoresin), piperidine, chavicine, alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

• Study results showed excellent inhibition of the growth of Bacillus cereus, Salmonella typhi and E coli.
• P. nigrum are useful in controlling not only glucose and lipid levels but may also help in strengthening the antioxidant potential.
• Results showed significant and dose-dependent antidiarrheal activity against castor oil and magnesium sulfate induced diarrhea.
• Study showed the extract of fruits significant inhibition of acetylcholine induced bronchoconstriction, suggesting a significant anti-asthmatic potential.
• Study evaluated the possible memory-enhancing and antioxidant properties of the methanolic extract of P. nigrum fruits.
• In the Philippines, used as stimulant and rubefacient, decoction used as mouthwash for toothache.
• In Iranian traditional medicine, used to relieve menorrhagia in women.
• In India used in traditional medicine for constipation, diarrhea, earache, gangrene, heartburn, hernia, hoarseness, indigestion, insect bites, liver and lung problems, sunburn, dental caries, and toothaches.