Maricha or Black pepper is native to Western Ghats of India. It is cultivated for its fruit, which is widely used as spice and in traditional Indian medicine preparation.

Black pepper is an appetizer and carminative commonly used in the treatment of digestive system related complaints like dyspepsia, indigestion, flatulence, nausea, diarrhoea and colic pain. In respiratory system it acts like Expectorant used in Cough, cold and chest congestion. Externally used as analgesic and in Vitiligo it stimulates the production of pigments.

Botanical Name: Piper nigrum Linn.IMG_4358

Family: Piperaceae

English Name: Black pepper, Peppercorn.

Sanskrit Names: Vellaja, Kola, Palitha, Shyama, Krishna.

Names in Indian language:

  • Hindi: Kali mirchi
  • Kannada:Karee menasu
  • Malayalam: Nalla muluku, Yavanapriyam
  • Tamil: Milagu
  • Telugu: Miriyalu
  • Bengali: Golmirch
  • Marati: Mirin, Mire
  • Panjabi:Kali mirch
  • Oriya: Gola maricha
  • Gujarati: Kalamari

Description:  A stout climber grows to a height of 8 meters or more, Stems: Stem have knots where leaves, adventitious roots and fruits emerge. Leaves: leaves are alternate, petiolate, dark green in colour on upper side and whitish-green on underside of the leaves, leathery texture,  almond shape,  6 to 10 cm long. Flower: Whitish or yellowish green seen in clusters along stalk (Pendulous spikes). Fruits: Round, 40 to 60 fruits on each spike, green in colour turns to red when they ripen, each fruit contain single seed.

Distribution:  Cultivated humid tropical parts of India.IMG_4222

Parts used: Dried Fruits

Pepper oil(Extracted from fruits) used as external applicant in local pain.

Pharmacological action: Anti inflammatory, Anti cancer, Anti oxidant, Anti microbial, Antidiarrhoeal, Antispasmodic, Analgesic and Antipyretic.

Phytochemistry: Alkaloids: Piperine, piperic acid, piperidine, chavicine, depentine, piperovatine.  Essential fats: Mono terpenes, sesquiterpenes  Organic acid: Butyric acid, cinnamic acid, benzoic acid and Phenols.

Ayurveda Description about Maricha – Piper nigrum : 

Properties:

  • Rasa: Katu
  • Guna: Tikshna, laghu
  • Virya: Ushna
  • Vipaka:Katu
  • Dosha karma: Kaphavatahara
  • Agni karma: Dipana
  • Roga karma: Kasa, shwasa, shula, krimi, aruchi, hridroga and Vishagna.
  • Vishesha karma: Pramathi, Rochana, Chakshushya, Rsayana

Dose: Powder 500 mg t0 1.5 grams

Adjuvant: Honey or hot water

Side effects: Heavy dose may induce gastric irritation.

Ayurveda References:

  1. Charaka samhita: Shirovirechana, shulaprashamna, krimighna.
  2. Sushruta samhita:Tryushana
  3. Astangahradayam
  4. Bhavaprakasha nigantu
  5. Raja nigantu
  6. Dhanwantari nigantu

Ayurvedic Formulations:

Trikatu churna, Marichadi taila,  Talisadi churna, Dahamoolakatutrayam Kashayam, Pippalyasavam, Madhusnuhi rasayanam, Vettumaran vatakam.