Piper longum Linn.
Family _ Piperaceae.
Habitat _ Warmer parts of India,
from Central Himalayas to Assam,
lower hills of West Bengal; Uttar
Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Western
Ghats from Konkan southwards to
Trivandrum. Often cultivated.
English _ Indian Long Pepper,
Joborandi.
Ayurvedic _ Pippali, Maagadhi,
Maagadha, Maagadhaa, Maagadhikaa,
Magadhodbhavaa, Vaidehi,
Upkulyaa, Pippalikam, Chapalaa,
Kanaa, Krishnaa. Uushnaa, Shaundi,
Kolaa, Tikshna-tandulaa.
Unani _ Filfil Daraaz, Daarfilfil.
Siddha/Tamil _ Thippili, Arisi thippili.
Thippiliver (root).
Action _ Fruits—used for diseases
of the respiratory tract (cough,
bronchitis, asthma); as sedative (in
insomnia and epilepsy); as cholagogue
(in obstruction of bile duct
and bladder), as emmenagogue, as
digestive, appetizer and carminative
(in indigestion); as general tonic and
haematinic (in anaemia, chronic
fevers and for improving intellect).
Applied locally on muscular pains
and inflammations.
Several aristolactams and dioxoaporphines
have been isolated from Indian
long pepper. It also contains the
long chain isobutyl amide, longamide,
besides guineensine and the lignans,
pluviatilol, methyl pluviatilol (fargesin),
sesamin and asarinine.
Piperine is themajor alkaloid of peppers.
Piperine is antipyretic, hypotensive,
analeptic, CNS stimulant. It has been
reported to exert significant protection
against induced hepatotoxicity
in mice.
