LONG PEPPER (BOTANICAL NAME: PIPER LONGUM)

Long pepper is a slender aromatic climber, with a large perennial woody root and jointed

stems thickening at the nodes. The dark, dentate leaves are ovate and heart-shaped, about

2 to 3 inches in length, with broad rounded lobes at the base. 

The flowers are monoceous and male and female flowers are borne on different plants. 

The fruits are ovoid, yellowish-orange, minute, and drupe around 1 inch in diameter. The

spikes are red when ripe and turn to black on drying. 

The plant bears flowers in rains and fruits in early winters. 

The herb is cultivated in Assam, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in India, Malaysia,

Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and South Asian regions.

Long pepper is also known as pipal and pipar in Hindi, hippali in Kannada, kandanthippili in

Tamil, pippali rasayana, magadhi, kana and ushana in Sanskrit, pippal in Gujarati and pepe

di Marisa in Italian. 

It is known to contain a chemical known as  Piperine which helps fight parasites

and other infectious agents. 

Long pepper forms an important part of our ancient Indian medicine-Ayurveda, and is 

thought to hold good therapeutic properties. Research has specified the use of this herb

for 3 major health complaints described below:

Diabetes: This disease is the leading cause of concern for individuals around the world

nowadays. 

Thankfully, long pepper has been found to reduce blood glucose levels in diabetic patients 

and prevent other complications associated with the disorder

Liver complaints: Due to our dependency on processed foods, our internal organs

including the liver, tend to become weak, and more and more people are now suffering

from Liver complaints. Long pepper, known to possess liver-protective functions, may help

the body

It manages the liver toxicity, and may also prevent jaundice.

The world is getting obsessed about weight loss today, and many people are foolishly 

reacting turning to picking up "healthy" foods from supermarket shelves.

Long pepper, on the other hand, is a  wonderful herb that is believed to promote weight 

loss and have no side effects on the body. It is known to reduce body fat and discard the 

                    

stagnant fatty toxins from the body, thereby preventing obesity. 

Some Medical researches also suggest that long pepper may help improve the flow of 

oxygen into the body, prevent major lung disorders, support skeletal function and improve

the bone strength, improve skin health and slow down aging.

Apart from these specific health benefits Long pepper is also believed to help the patients 

who suffer with  serious problems of strokes, asthma, fever, stomach ache, Tooth ache, 

indigestion, epilepsy, cough, cholera, head ache, menstrual pain,diarrhea, bronchitis, coma

and some other diseases.

• Long pepper helps in expelling out the mucus accumulated in the respiratory tract.

• It strengthens the nervous system, improves the gastrointestinal condition and normalizes the peristaltic movements.

• The herb serves as a good digestive agent.

• Its oil and paste is applied on wounds and skin-related ailments.

• Long pepper helps in suppressing pain and reducing inflammation.

• The herb helps maintain the normalcy of the digestive tract and tones up the urinary tract.

• Its fruits are used for respiratory tract diseases like cough, bronchitis and asthma.

• It benefits in anorexia, indigestion, flatulence, abdominal pain, hyperacidity, piles, paralysis of the tongue, diarrhea, cholera, chronic malaria, viral hepatitis, diseases of the spleen and tumors.

• It is given with amla to treat anemia.

• The decoction of the plant is used in sciatica and hemiplegia.

• The herb is mixed with honey to control hiccups.

• Long pepper is used as an aphrodisiac, since it boosts the reproductive system

• It is used as a sedative in insomnia and epilepsy.

• The infusion of the herb’s root is used after childbirth, to induce the expulsion of the placenta.

We came to learn about this wonderful and smart herb now. We will get benefit of this Piper

Longum by using it in our various dishes and decoction as daily use or whenever we get

suffered with diseases like bronchitis, diarrhea, asthma or long chronic diseases. We will 

buy this saplings of Piper Longum in agricultural university stall and grow in our garden or

pots and preserve this plant for future use.