Abstract

PIPER NIGRUM: PHYTOCHEMICAL AND THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL

Kalpita Deshpande*, Siddharth Deshpande and Meghnandini Khandare

Abstract

Medicinal plants are very popular in different traditional systems of medicines due to their divers therapeutic potentials used in various food preparations. Piper nigrum L. (Family Piperaceae) is a wellknown spice and piperine is a simple and pungent alkaloid found in the seeds of black piper (Piper nigrum). The biological properties of piperine have been studied, and shown an interesting range of pharmacological activities like anti-hypertensive, anti-platelet, antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-asthmatics, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antidiarrheal, anti-spasmodic, anti-depressants, immunomodulatory, anticonvulsant, anti-thyroids, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, hepato-protective, insecticidal and larvicidal activities etc. The current review article is aimed to provide updated information and cumulative views on phytochemistry and pharmacological potentials of Piper nigrum Linn.

Keywords: Piper; piperine; bioavailability; phytochemicals; therapeutics.