Piper Longum.
Plant parts used:
Fruit, root and stem.
Description :
The erect shrub has a thick, jointed and branched root-stock. Leaves are
numerous, 6.3 to 9.0 cm, broadly ovate or oblong-oval, dark green and
shining above, pale and dull beneath. Fruits are present in a solitary,
pedunculate, fleshy spike 2.5 to 3.5 cm long,5 mm thick, ovoid, oblong,
erect, blunt, blackish green in colour and shining. Odour is aromatic and
the taste is pungent.
Chemical composition :
The fruits contain 1% volatile oil, resin, alkaloids piperine and
piperlonguminine, a waxy alkaloid N-isobutyldeca-trans-2-trans-4-dienamide
and a terpenoid substance.Roots contain piperine, piperiongumine or
piplartine. Dihydrostigmasterol has been also isolated.
Photo credit : Govt. of India/ National
Medicinal plant board
Sach Health Supplies LLC.
