Habitat: Sikkim, Terai, West Bengal and Khasi hills, up to 900 m.
English: Wild Pepper.Folk: Jangali Paan.Action: Carminative and diuretic.
Kadsurin A and isodihydrofuto- quinol B have been isolated from aerial parts.Habitat: Deccan Peninsula; common in the forest areas of Western Ghats.
Unani: Desi Ushbaa.Siddha/Tamil: Mahali kizhangu.Action: Root—appetizer, blood purifier, bacteriostatic. Used as a substitute for Shveta Saarivaa (Hemidesmus indicus). Sold as Saarivaa in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The root powder is given to diabetics.
The root contains quercetin, kaempferol, coumarin and rutin. It has a sweet sarsaparilla-like taste; contains 92% fleshy matter and 8% woody core.The root can be stored for longer periods and remains unaffected by microorganisms and insects, apparently due to the presence of the volatile principle which possesses bacteriostat- ic and toxic properties.The root, on steam distillation, gave 4-O-methyl-resorcylaldehyde in a concentration of 0.8%. (The growth of E. coli was arrested by the aldehyde in 0.041% concentration; fish died within 4 min in 0.02% solution.) The sterols consists mainly of stagma and brassica sterols. Alpha-amyrin and lupeol, both free and as esters are also present in the root.The plant contains lupeol, beta- amyrin 2-hydroxy, 4-methoxy benzaldehyde, and ferulic acid.... decalepis hamiltoniiHabitat: The Western Ghats, Sikkim, Assam, Orissa and Bengal.
Ayurvedic: Vaaraahi (var.).Folk: Naagar-kanda (Bihar).Action: Tubers contain 85.50% carbohydrates, 8.30% albuminoids.... dioscorea hamiltonii
Habitat: Cultivated in the Himalayas, especially in the colder parts of Ladakh, Zaskar and Western Tibet.
English: Tatary Duckwheat.Ayurvedic: Ukhal.Folk: Kutu (var.).Action: See F. esculentum. Duck- wheat is a better source of rutin than the common Buckwheat. It contains 45-80% more rutin than the latter, and maintains its high rutin content for a longer period.
Family: Cruciferae; Brassicaceae.Habitat: Mediterranean region, eastwards to India and southwards to tropical Africa.
Folk: Farid-booti (Punjab).Action: Antirheumatic.
Farsetia species contain a volatile oil which gave glucosinolates. Allylglu- cosinolate is the major constituent.... farsetia hamiltoniiHabitat: Eastern tropical Himalayas, Assam, Khasi Hills and the Nilgiris.
Siddha/Tamil: Kattumilaaku.Action: Root—diuretic. Plant— rubefacient; used for muscular pains and headache.
Several aristolactams have been reported from the aerial parts of the plant. Crotepoxide exhibited significant antitumour activity.Roots contain alkamides including piperine, piperlonguminine and guineensine.... piper attenuatumHabitat: Cultivated in warmer and damper parts of India; Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala.
English: Betel pepper.Ayurvedic: Taambula, Naagvallari, Naagini, Taambulvalli, Saptashiraa, Bhujangalataa.Unani: Paan, Tambool.Siddha/Tamil: Vetrilai Nagavalli, Kammaaruvetritai.Action: Leaf—stimulant, carminative, astringent, antiseptic. Essential oil from leaves—antispasmodic, antiseptic. Used in respiratory catarrhs. Fruit—bechic.
The leaves afforded beta- and gam- ma-sitosterol, hentriacontane, pen- tatriacontane, n-triacontanol, stearic acid and chavicol. The essential oil from leaves contained carvacrol, euge- nol, chavicol, allyl catechol, cineole, estragol, caryophyllene, cardinene, p- cymene and eugenol methyl ether.Administration of the leaf extract resulted in decreased tumour burden and tumour incidence and a delay in the onset of mammary tumour in Wistar rats.The alcoholic extract of the leaf stalk is reported to show antispermatogenic and antiandrogenic effect in male albino rats.The essential oil exhibited hypoten- sive, cardiac as well as respiratory depressant and cardiotonic properties.The leaf showed antifungal and antibacterial activity. The antiseptic activity is attributed to chavicol.Dosage: Leaf—10-15 ml juice. (API, Vol. III.)... piper betleHabitat: Assam, Western Ghats, the Nilgiris and Palni hills above 1,500 m.
English: Nilgiri Pepper.Action: Carminative.
The neolignan schmiditin, together with lignin galgravin as well as friedelin, beta-sitosterol and its beta- O-glucoside have been isolated from the extract of aerial parts. The extract exhibited antiamoebic activity.... piper schmidtiiHabitat: Native to Moluccas, cultivated in Indonesia, also in India.
English: Java Long Pepper.Ayurvedic: Gajapippali (spikes of Scindapsis officinalis, Araceae, are also known as Gajapippali), Chavya, Chavika.Siddha/Tamil: Chevuyam.Action: Similar to P. longum and P. nigrum. Fruits—stimulant, carminative; used in haemorrhoidal affections; as a tonic, after- childbirth. Roots—chewed or brewed in decoction for colic, dyspepsia and gastralgia.
Key application: In diseases of the spleen, chlorosis, diseases of the abdomen. colic, worm infestation. (The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India.)Java long pepper is similar in composition to black pepper; it contains less piperine and volatile oil (piperine 4.5 and volatile oil 1.5%).The stem is used as a substitute for Piper longum root. It contains the alkaloids piperine and piplartine. Beta- sitosterol, glycosides, glucose and fructose and mucilage have also been reported. Active principles show muscle relaxant property.... piper chabaHabitat: Native to Indonesia; cultivated in Assam and Karnataka.
English: Cubeb, Tailed Pepper.Ayurvedic: Kankola, Kakkola, Kankolaka, Takkola, Koraka, Kolaka, Kashphala, Sheetalchini, Chinoshana.Unani: Kabaabchini, Habb-ul- uruus.Siddha/Tamil: Valmilagu.Action: Fruit—Carminative, diuretic, expectorant. Used for coughs, bronchitis, asthma, urinary tract infections, amoebic dysentery. Stimulates genitourinary mucous surfaces. Oil—antibacterial, used in genitourinary diseases and cystitis.
Key application: In dysuria. (The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India.)The ground fruits have been found to be effective in treating amoebic dys- tentery.The oil exhibits antiviral activity in rats and antibacterial in vitro.Unripe fruit contains volatile oil (1020%) consisting of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons; lignans, mainly cubebine (about 2%), with (-)-cubebinin and ki- nokinin; cubebic acid. The oxygenated cyclohexanes, piperenol A and B, together with (+)-crotepoxide and (+)- zeylenol, have been isolated from the fruit. Polyhydroxy cyclohexanes possess antitumour, antileukaemic and antibiotic activities.Dosage: Fruit—1-2 g powder. (API, Vol. I.)... piper cubebaHabitat: 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, Maagad- hikaa, Magadhodbhavaa, Vaidehi, Upkulyaa, Pippalikam, Chapalaa, Kanaa, Krishnaa. Uushnaa, Shaun- di, 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 chola- gogue (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 dioxoa- porphines have been isolated from Indian long pepper. It also contains the long chain isobutyl amide, longamide, besides guineensine and the lignans, pluviatilol, methyl pluviatilol (farge- sin), sesamin and asarinine.Piperine is the major alkaloid of peppers.Piperine is antipyretic, hypotensive, analeptic, CNS stimulant. It has been reported to exert significant protection against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. It improves drug availability in experimental animals, and is used for enhancing the efficacy of co- administered medicaments.Piperine enhanced bioavailability of hexobarbital, phenytoin, propranolol and theophylline. (Sharon M. Herr.) (Piperine is also a component of Piper nigrum.)N - isobutyl - deca - trans - 2 - trans - 4 - dienamide, isolated from the fruit, exhibited antitubercular property.Milk extract of the fruit effectively reduced passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in rats. It protected guinea-pigs against antigen-induced bronchospasm.In China, Piper longum oil constituents were reported to inhibit the increase in serum total cholesterol induced by triton in mice.The root powder exhibited antifer- tility activity.A related species, P. peepuloides Roxb., is known as Saamvali Peepal. It is used specifically against obstinate skin diseases and as a sialagogue.Dosage: Fruit—1-3 mg (API, Vol. IV); root—1-3 g powder. (CCRAS.)... piper longumHabitat: Assam and Bengal.
Ayurvedic: Vana-Pippali.Folk: Pahaari Peepal.Action: Fruit—carminative. Aerial parts—diuretic.
The root yielded a lignin, sesamin; amides (including piperine, piperlon- gumine) and beta-sitosterol.... piper sylvaticumHabitat: Sikkim, Bengal, Manipur, Khasi and Jaintia hills.
Folk: Jangali Paan.Action: Root—(macerated in water) diuretic.... piper thomsoni
Habitat: Native of the Indo- Malaysian region; cultivated in Western Ghats, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Assam and Kerala.
English: Black Pepper.Ayurvedic: Maricha, Vellaja, Uushna, Suvrrita, Krishnaa.Unani: Filfil Siyaah, Safed.Siddha/Tamil: Milagu. Milaguver (root).Action: Stimulant, carminative, diuretic, anticholerin, sialagogue, bechic, antiasthmatic. Used in fevers, dyspepsia, flatulence, indigestion, and as mucous membrane and gastro-intestinal stimulant. Externally—rubefacient and stimulant to the skin. Used as a gargle for sore throat. Used with ginger and Piper longum for viral hepatitis.
The fruit yielded piperine, pipera- tine and piperidine; amides, pipery- line, piperoleins A and B, and N-i'so- butyl-cicosa-trans-2-trans-4-dienami- de.The aqueous extract of roasted black pepper is reported to show cholinomi- metic effect on rat abdominis muscles.Dosage: Fruit—500 mg to 1 g. (CCRAS.)... piper nigrumHabitat: Nepal, Lakhimpur and Khasi Hills in Assam.
Ayurvedic: Wrongly equated with Sambhaaluka. (Sambhaalu has been identified as Vitex negundo.) Renukaa is also a wrong synonym (it is equated with the seed of Vitex agnus-castus).Siddha/Tamil: Kaattu-milagu.Action: Fruits—used as uterine stimulant.
The fruit contain piperine, piperet- tine and sylvatine, besides beta-sitos- terol. The seeds gave aurantiamide, its acetate and auranamide.The fraction, containing alkaloids, showed oxytocic activity. The lignin constituents inhibited platelet aggregation caused by platelet-activating factor.... piper wallichii
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