Black pepper references
(Piper nigrum

    The bibliographic citations are derived from Medline databases through the National Library of Medicine.  

Effect on intestinal muscle 

Reiter M, Brandt W (1985). Relaxant effects on tracheal and ileal smooth muscles of the guinea pig. Arzneimittelforschung, 35(1A):408-14.

Summary: This study investigated the effects of the essential oils of 22 plants on tracheal (throat) and ileal (intestinal) smooth muscle. Pepper produced
a marked increase in the contracture of the ileal muscle.

Effect on the liver

Koul IB, Kapil A (1993). Evaluation of the liver protective potential of piperine, an active principle of black and long peppers. Planta Medica,
59(5):413-7.

Summary:  Piperine was shown to protect the liver against laboratory-induced toxicity in mice.  The protective pathways are defined.

Singh A, Rao AR (1993).  Evaluation of the modulatory influence of black pepper (Piper nigrum, L.) on the hepatic detoxication system.
Cancer Lett, 72(1-2):5-9. 

Summary: Black pepper fed to mice appeared to induce the liver detoxification system.  The authors suggest that black pepper may play a role in cancer
prevention in chemical carcinogenesis.

Effects on inflammation

Mujumdar AM, Dhuley JN, Deshmukh VK, Raman PH, Naik SR (1990). Anti-inflammatory activity of piperine. Jpn J Med Sci Biol, 43(3):95-100.

Summary: Piperine, a major component of essential oil of black pepper, was found to have significant anti-inflammatory effects on a variety of induced
inflammatory changes in rats.  It was found to act positively on early, acute inflammation and on chronic, granulative inflammatory changes.
Piperene was found to act partially through the pituitary-adrenal system.

Last updated 03.21.05

Use the back button on your browser to return to your previous page