piper guineense

Piper guineense is an aromatic West African vine in the pepper family, commonly used as a culinary spice and traditional medicinal plant. Its leaves and seeds are rich in piperine, dillapiole, linalool, myristicin, and other phytochemicals, which confer anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, analgesic, antifungal, hypolipidemic, and potential anticancer activities. Traditionally, it is used to treat cough, bronchitis, intestinal diseases, rheumatism, infertility, pain, and as a digestive and immune tonic. Extracts and individual constituents such as piperine and piperlongumine show in vitro antifungal activity, and animal studies support antioxidant, lipid-lowering, memory-enhancing, and potential nephrotoxic effects at high doses. Administration is oral, typically as a spice, decoction, or traditional extract. No evidence supports pharmaceutical drug development or regulatory approval.

Other names

West African black pepperAshanti pepperUzizaIyereHot leavesCubeb pepperAta iyere