Biological activity

Piperine

Traditional medicine

Biochemistry

Biology

Pharmacognosy

Pharmacology

In vitro

Medicine

Phytotherapy Research

Medicinal plants have been used for years as a source of food, spices, and, in traditional medicine, as a remedy to numerous diseases. Piper nigrum , belonging to the family Piperaceae is one of the most widely used spices all over the world. It has a distinct sharp flavor attributed to the presence of the phytochemical, piperine. Apart from its use as a spice, P . nigrum is frequently used for medicinal, preservation, and perfumery purposes. Black pepper contains 2–7.4% of piperine, varying in content is associated with the pepper plant. Piperine displays numerous pharmacological effects such as antiproliferative, antitumor, antiangiogenesis, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti‐obesity, cardioprotective, antimicrobial, antiaging, and immunomodulatory effects in various in vitro and in vivo experimental trials. Furthermore, piperine has also been documented for its hepatoprotective, anti‐allergic, anti‐inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. This review highlights and discusses the medicinal and health‐promoting effects of piperine, along with possible mechanisms of its action in health promotion and disease prevention. In addition, the present review summarizes the recent literature related to piperine as a therapeutic agent against several diseases.

Piperine: A review of its biological effects