Bio Diversity Park

Common Name : Black pepper

Hindi Name : काली मिर्च | Scientific Name : Piper nigrum
Family : Piperaceae
Uses : It is has environmental uses, as animal food, a poison and a medicine and for food. It is used traditionally for the treatment of various diseases including; cough, cold, dyspnea throat diseases, intermittent fever, dysentery, stomachache, worms and piles. The pharmacological potential of black pepper is due to the presence of metabolites like phenolic compounds, alkaloids, flavonoids, carotenoids, terpenoids, etc. P. nigrum possesses several potential pharmacological effects on antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, and cytotoxic effects, these studies were employed only in cell lines and animal models, scientific studies in humans have rarely been executed. Hence, the future investigation could focus on the pharmacological properties of piperine, BPEO and active constituents in various clinical studies with humans. Fourth, black pepper-based drugs may be industrialized in future. Future research also needs to conduct clinical trials to investigate the excessive consumption of black pepper in humans and animal models. This review supports the expanded use of black pepper in culinary applications. Regular consumption of black pepper could protect humans from various chronic diseases as a nutraceutical as well as functional food.
Native: Southern India
General Description:

Black pepper is a perennial climbing vine that grows well in the shade with supporting trees or poles. The glabrous woody climbers grow up to 10 m or more height. Black pepper plant has 10–20 primary adventitious roots developed from the base of the mature stem. The vines are grown dimorphic branching (monopodial, orthotropic branches and sympodial, plagiotropic fruiting branches) pattern. The orthotropic shoot has indeterminate growth, and leaf axils produce lateral fruiting branches. Also, each node of the orthotropic shoot has clinging roots that help the plant climb over the support trees. Leaves are simple, alternate, with 2 to 5 cm long grooved petiole, variable leaf length and breadth, 8–20 cm and 4–12 cm respectively. In India, 2 to 3 years after planting black pepper plants have flowering during south-east monsoon (May – July). The fruiting spikes are varied lengths (3–15 cm). After 10–15 days spike emergence, the first flower appears on the top of the spike and completed nearly 6–10 days. The inflorescence is glabrous; pendulous spike arises opposite to leaves on plagiotropic branches. Wild type flowers are mostly dioecious, but the cultivated type flowers are monoecious. Self-pollination is predominant, and protogyny also encountered in black pepper. The matured fruits are spherical in shape (~ 5 mm diameter) and belong to drupe type. The harvested fruits are sun-dried for further use.