Black Pepper - Health benefits, application, chemical constituents side effects and many more

Black Pepper - The King of spices

Black pepper is native to South Asia and Southeast Asia, and has been known to Indian cooking since at least 2000 BCE. Black pepper (Piper nigrum) and long pepper (Piper  longum) are the best known pecies  in  this  family and are probably  among the most recognized spices in the world. Black pepper alone accounts for about 35% of the world’s  total spice trade. In addition, black pepper and long pepper have been used medicinally  for centuries  In recent years.

The most commonly used part of the plant is the aromatic fruit. Interestingly, white, green, and black peppers are products of the P. nigrum fruits at different ripening stages. White pepper is obtained from the fully ripened fruits after removing the outer skin, green pepper is the unripe fruits, and black pepper is collected before full maturity of the fruit. Black pepper has a stronger flavor compared to white pepper while green pepper is characterized by its fresh and herbal flavor. The alkaloid piperine is responsible for the pungent flavor of black pepper.

It shows antioxidant, carminative, larvicidal, anti-inflammatory, antiarthritic, antidepresseant, antihypertensive, antiaggregant, antispasmodic, Immuno-modulatory, antiasthmatic, gastroprotective, antibacterial, and antifungal activities.  

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It has different names in different languages such as Hindi Name(Kalimirch, Mirch, Gulmirch, Golmirch, Choco mirch),  Marathi Name(Mirin, Kalamiri),  English Name(Black Pepper, Common Pepper, Pepper),  Gujarati name(Kalamri, Kalamuri, Kalominch, Kalamire),  Konkani Name(Kare Menasu),  Tamil Name(Milagu),  Telugu Name(Miriyalu, marichamu, shavyamu),  Kannada name(Kari Manesu, Kalu Menasu, Olle Menasu),  Malayalam Name(Nalla muluka, Kurumulaku, Lada, Nallamulaku),  Bengali Name(Golmarich, Vellajung, Murichung, Kolukung, Muricha, Kala morich),  Punjabi name(Galmirch),  Urdu name(Filfilsiyah, Kalimirch),  

Vitamin and Mineral content

• Vitamin : B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, A, C, K, Choline
• Mineral : Calcium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Sodium, Potassium
• One tablespoon (6 grams) of ground black pepper contains moderate amounts of vitamin K (13% of the daily value or DV), iron (10% DV), and manganese (18% DV), with trace amounts of other essential nutrients, protein, and dietary fibre.
• The major components of the essential oils were α-pinene, sabinene, β-pinene, δ-3-carene, limonene, and β-caryophyllene. 
•          - More than a hundred compounds have been reported in black pepper oil. The oil is dominated by monoterpene hydrocarbons (47–64%) followed by sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (30–47%)
• In plants, these compounds are mostly secondary metabolities such as alkaloids, steroids, tannins, phenol compounds, flavonoids,steroids, reisns, and fatty acids 
• Pepper is valued for its pungency contributed by the alkaloid piperine and flavor contributed by the volatile oil. 
• Many investigators isolated different types of compounds viz Phenolics, flavonoids, alkaloids, amides and steroids, lignans, neolignans, terpenes, chalcones etc and many other compounds. Some of the compounds are Brachyamide B, Dihydro-pipericide, (2E,4E)-N-Eicosadienoyl-pereridine, N-trans-Feruloyltryamine, N-Formylpiperidine, Guineensine, pentadienoyl as piperidine, (2E,4E)-Nisobuty- ldecadienamid, isobutyl-eicosadienamide, Tricholein, Trichostachine, isobutyl-eicosatrienamide, Isobutyl-octadienamide, Piperamide, Piperamine, Piperettine, Pipericide, Piperine, Piperolein B, Sarmentine, Sarmentosine, Retrofractamide A
• Piperine reported to have four isomers viz; Piperine, Isopiperine, Chavicine and Isochavicine.

Properties and Benefits

• Rasa (Taste) – Katu (Pungent)
• Guna (qualities) – Laghu (lightness), Teekshna (strong, piercing), Sookshma – enters deep and minute body channels
• Taste conversation after digestion – Katu(pungent) 
• Veerya- Ushna – Hot potency
• Effect on Tridosha – Balances Kapha and Vata
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• Na Ati Ushna – It is not very hot
• Avrushya – It is anaphrodisiac
• Ruchikaraka, Ruchya, Rochana – improves taste, relieves anorexia
• Because of its Chedana (cutting) and Shoshana) drying effects, it increases digestion strength and balances Kapha and Vata Dosha
• Pittakrut – Causes increase in Pitta.
• Kaphahara – decreases sputum production.
• Vayu Nivarayati – useful in Vata related disorders, bloating.
• Kruminut, Jantu Santana Nashanam – Useful in intestinal worm infestation.
• Shwasahara – useful in treatment of asthma and chronic respiratory disorders.
• Hrudrogahara – useful in cardiac disorders
• It is used in treating recurrent fever – Vishama Jwara
• It is one among Pramathi herbs – It has scraping effect over the intestines, inducing cleansing effect.
• It is orally used in women with amenorrhoea to induce periods.
• Black pepper extract relieves fat deposition by blocking fat cell formation. Hence, very useful in obesity management.

Uses Benefits Application and Remedies

1) Fine powder of pepper is taken(1-2 gram), along with honey or betel leaf juice, which is used in chest congestion due to phlegm.

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2) Black peppercorns and other whole herbs such as cinnamon chips, cloves and cracked cardamom pods are fried in ghee and used to flavor basmati rice. 

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3) It can be added to fruit juices which helps to nullify Kapha dominant effect of sweet fruits.

4) Sometimes it is used as substitute for chilli.

5) The pepper oil is used in ointments for heat generating effect (rubefacient). It helps to produce counter-irritant effect thereby, diverting the concentration of the patient from the pain.

6) Oil is also used in treating leucoderma, eczema, and itching skin disorders.

7) The black pepper powder is used as an ingredient in herbal tooth powder for its pain relieving and scrapping properties.

8) Hair loss caused due scalp ringworm can be treated by applying black pepper, along with onion and salt. This can be also applied in headache.

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9) Pepper decoction is used to gargle in case of tooth pain.

10) Black pepper is used externally in the form of paste and cream.

11) Ghee + Trikatu (Ginger, black pepper, long pepper)+ rock salt, black salt and bida salt  – Useful in vomiting due to Vata Dosha increase. 

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12) In dysentery, fine black pepper is given with asafoetida and opium.

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13) In cough, pepper powder is given with honey and ghee.

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14) In chronic cold, pepper is used with jaggery and curd.

15) It can Sprinkle over soups and salads.

16) In Ayurveda, black pepper, long  pepper  and  ginger  are  often  used  together  in  equal  proportions  in  a preparation known as “trikatu”, a Sanskrit word meaning “three acrids”.

              

17) Black pepper currently finds multiple uses in flavorings, in perfumes, and in insecticide formulations.

18) Boosts absorption of nutrients.

19) Aromatic black pepper is widely used as a seasoning in the Western world. In ayurvedic cooking, black peppercorns as well as ground or cracked black pepper are common. 

20) Ground black pepper is combined with coconut milk and other spices to make sauces for vegetables. Pepper combines well with almost every other spice or herb.

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Side effects

1. Due to the hotness pepper, it increases Pitta. Hence, it needs to be used carefully in people with gastritis, burning sensation and sensitive stomach.
2. Because of its an aphrodisiac effect, it needs be used in less quantities or its long term usage is best avoided in men with infertility problems.
3. Pitta dominant people may face black pepper allergy in the form of vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, watery eyes etc.
4. Excess consumption of pepper can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, burning sensation in bladder and while urination, urticaria etc
5. It can be taken in moderate quantities during pregnancy, lactation and in children.

Flavour

• Pepper gets its spicy heat mostly from piperine derived from both the outer fruit and the seed. Black pepper contains between 4.6 and 9.7% piperine by mass, and white pepper slightly more than that.  
• Refined piperine, by weight, is about one percent as hot as the capsaicin found in chili peppers. 
• The outer fruit layer, left on black pepper, also contains aroma-contributing terpenes, including germacrene (11%), limonene (10%), pinene (10%), alpha-phellandrene (9%), and beta-caryophyllene (7%), which give citrusy, woody, and floral notes. These scents are mostly missing in white pepper, as the fermentation and other processing removes the fruit layer (which also contains some of the spicy piperine). 

Note :

• Evaporation, so airtight storage helps preserve its spiciness longer. Pepper can also lose flavour when exposed to light, which can transform piperine into nearly tasteless isochavicine. Most culinary sources recommend grinding whole peppercorns immediately before use.
• Scents are mostly missing in white pepper, as the fermentation and other processing removes the fruit layer (which also contains some of the spicy piperine). Other flavours also commonly develop in this process, some of which are described as off-flavours when in excess: Primarily 3-methylindole (pig manure-like), 4-methylphenol (horse manure), 3-methylphenol (phenolic), and butyric acid (cheese). The aroma of pepper is attributed to rotundone (3,4,5,6,7,8-Hexahydro-3α,8α-dimethyl-5α-(1-methylethenyl)azulene-1(2H)-one), a sesquiterpene originally discovered in the tubers of Cyperus rotundus

Different varieties of Maricha :

1. Black Pepper: Black pepper is produced from the green unripe drupe (unripe fruit) of the pepper plant. The unripe fruits are cooked in water for a few hours, Sun-dried or machine-dried for many days, during which pepper gains black wrinkled skin. Then it is called black peppercorn. Some people dry the unripe fruit without boiling it. Such black peppercorn can be used to extract essential oil or in medicines.
2. Green pepper: Is produced from green unripe fruit, wherein, it is not dried with heat exposure. It is freeze-dried or using Sulphur dioxide.
3. White pepper: White pepper consists of the seed of the pepper fruit. The dark colored skin is removed from it.
4. Orange and red pepper: Are prepared from ripe pepper fruits, preserved in vinegar

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