Piper longum or long pepper is commonly known as pippali in India and is one of the popular herbs mentioned in all ancient scriptures of Ayurveda. Belonging to the piperaceae plant family it is a slender aromatic climber with perennial woody roots and cordate leaves. Flowers are in solitary spikes. Fruit is very small sunk inside the fleshy spike and blackish green in color. Mature spikes collected and dried, forms the commercial form of pippali and roots due to its medicinal importance. It is mostly cultivated in loamy soils where there is hot most climate.   Scientific fact about Pippali It is scientifically proved that pippali given with the allopathic anti-tubercular treatment decreases it's dose to half, so the side effects of the anti-tubercular treatment are also reduced to half.

Pippali fruits contains 1%volatile oil, resin, a waxy alkaloid and alkaloids piperine and piper longumine. Roots contains piperine, piperlongumine or piplartine.
In Sanskrit, it possesses various synonyms describing its properties and specialities like Ushana-hot,
Chapala- quickly acting, Krishna-black,
Magadhi- From Magadha region.
Effect on Tridosha : Dry pippali which is commonly used pacifies vata and kapha but aggravates pitta dosha. On the contrary, fresh pippali pacifies pitta but aggravates vata and kapha dosha.
 

Folklore Uses
1. Widely used in ayurvedic & unani system of medicine. It is particular for disease of respiratory tract that include cough, bronchitis and asthma.
2. Long pepper is locally applied to counter irritants. Acts as an analgesic for muscular pain & inflammation.
3. Trikatu is known to enhance the bioavailability of foods & drugs.
4. Widely used as a carminative
5. Used as spices in pickles & as a preservative.

Uses: Fruit commonly known as pippali itself and it's roots are used for medicinal purpose. Pippali is the best medication among the plants those are appetizer, digestive stimulant, anti flatulent therefore used in anorexia, flatulence, constipation, abdominal colic, indigestion.
Its anti microbial properties makes it an effective remedy for amoebiasies worm infestations. It's main use is for kapha conditions-like cold, catarrh, bronchial conditions and bronclitis and is used with honey in asthma, pneumonia, compromised immunity in respiratory system.
It encourages vasodilatation and therefore stimulates circulation so it has ability to reduce cholesteral .
It promotes energy and vitality, balances vata, so it can be used for vata related problems such as tension, anxiety, insomnia. For its anti inflammatory effects, it is used in gout, arthritis, muscular pain.
It has a hepatoprotective effect and has been found to be helpful in treatment of hepatitis . It is best drug recommended in disorders of spleen.
In Ayurveda being the best rejuvenative, the preparation vardhamana pippali rasayana is mentioned in which pippali powder is taken in regularly increasing dose. It is effective in chronic fever and tuberculosis. Ayurvedic texts lists pippali as one of the most powerful rasayana herbs, meaning as a longevity enhancer. Also cleans the srotas channels that tramp all nutrients and removes the wastes, so it is considered important for purification.
Pippali powder with honey reduces unwanted fat and maintain normal body weight.
It removes the undigested toxic elements and revives the weakened organic functions.
Pippali is seldom used externally in case of painful and swollen conditions but internally, pippali is invaluable herb in vast range of diseases.

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