Piper longum, Long Pepper, Bi Ba 筚拨

Bi Ba (TCM)
Pippali (Ayurveda)
Filfil Daraz, Peepal (Unani)
Thippili (Siddha)
Pi pi ling  པི་པི་ལིང༌  (Tibetan)
The root of Long Pepper is called Peepalmool (Unani), Thippiliver (Siddha)
Picture Long Pepper,
Parkinson, Theatrum Botanicum, 1640

Picture Piper longum
Woodville, Hooker, Spratt, Medical Botany, 1832
Picture Long Pepper (Adam, 2017)

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Botanical name:


Piper spp.
  1. P. longum
  2. P. officinum
Classical Ayurvedic texts listed several types of ‘Long Pepper’; these included P. retrofractum, P. peepuloides, P. chaba

Parts used:


Mature ripe fruit

Temperature & Taste:


Hot, dry. Pungent

Classifications:


2H. CARMINATIVE.    2S. STRENGTHENING
3C. ALEXIPHARMIC
4e. STOMACHIC

Uses:


1. Warms the Stomach, Clears Damp, Promotes Digestion (TCM, West, Ayurveda, Tibetan):
-cold-type abdominal pain, indigestion, bloating, vomiting, diarrhea.
-Long Pepper is taken with Honey for Diarrhea
-Hyperacidity
-like Black Pepper, it is important for clearing Ama in Ayurveda (Ama is the toxic residue left from imperfect digestion; ‘Damp’ of TCM).

2. Clears Cold, Warms the Kidneys (TCM, West, Ayurveda, Tibetan):
-Edema or urinary disorders from Cold Kidneys
-chronic Nephritis
-Impotence, Infertility
-Rheumatic conditions

3. Clears Cold Phlegm (TCM, West, Ayurveda, Tibetan):
-cold phlegm of the Lungs, Stomach, or Bowels
-Cold Cough
-Long Pepper is used in Ayurveda for Asthma and Bronchitis, especially in Children (with Jaggery or Milk or Honey)

4: Stops Wind, Eases Pain, Clears Cold and Damp:
-pacifies Vata/Wind in Ayurveda, and is said to help downward movement of Qi within the body;       
-Headaches, Toothache, and Arthritis from Wind, Cold, and Damp;
-Sinusitis

5. Rasayana (tonic to the 7 Body Tissues):
-Ayurveda considers Long Pepper to be Rasayana, beneficial for Longevity, and a promoter of Intellect.
-Neurasthenia, Amnesia
-strengthening, and it is given for Diabetes and Tuberculosis. (Taken with Honey, or Honey and Ghee)

6. Resists Poison:
-Food poisoning
-Chronic Fevers, Malaria and Intermittent Fevers. (Ayurveda)
Long Pepper decoction taken alone is believed to separate bad blood from healthy blood. (Tibet)
    
7. Externally:
-can be used as Black Pepper


Dose:


Fruit in Powder: 250mg–2 grams (up to 5 grams)
Fruit in Decoction: 1.5–5 grams

Correctives:


… available in PRO version

Substitutes:


… available in PRO version

Comment:


1. Black, White and Long Pepper are used similarly. White Pepper is regarded as hottest but is least used. Black Pepper is better for the Stomach and Upper Body, while the Long Pepper is better for the Spleen and Kidneys and is regarded as more tonifying and strengthening. Clinically, either Black and Long Peppers, or all three Peppers, are used together.
2. Root of Long Pepper is used occasionally in Ayurveda and Unani. It has anti-fertility effects. It is often combined with Long Pepper fruit or Trikatu, for example in Powder of China root. It is also regarded as more strengthening so is used in tonic formulas, often with Withania, as in Balivivan.
Picture

Main Combinations:


Trikatu:
  This is a mix of equal parts of Black Pepper, Long Pepper, and Ginger. It is both a stand-alone formula, and an important component of larger compounds. It warms the Stomach, increases Digestion, resolves Damp, Cold-Phlegm and Ama (toxic residue of undigested food). Used alone for Indigestion, Hyperacidity, Cold and Flu, Cough, Bronchitis and Asthma. It is regarded as useful in Obesity and Diabetes. It enhances bio-availability, meaning it increases effectiveness of other medicines it is combined with.

1. Cold Phlegm:
i. of the Stomach, Long pepper with  … available in PRO version
ii. to purge Cold Phlegm, Long pepper with  … available in PRO version
2. Indigestion, Food Stagnation, Long pepper with  … available in PRO version
3. Nausea, Bloating, Indigestion, Long pepper with  … available in PRO version
4. Gastric pain, Long pepper with  … available in PRO version
5. Poor appetite and digestion, Long pepper with  … available in PRO version
6. Aphrodisiac:
i. Long pepper with … available in PRO version
ii. Long pepper with … available in PRO version
7. Poor or Failing Memory:
i. Long pepper with … available in PRO version
8. Dizziness and Vertigo:
i. Long pepper with  … available in PRO version
ii. Long pepper with  … available in PRO version
9. Joint Pain, Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Long pepper with  … available in PRO version
10. Consumption, Long Pepper is taken with  … available in PRO version
11. To promote Longevity, Virility and Intellect, and cure diseases of aging  … available in PRO version

Major Formulas


Powder of Three Peppers (Diatrion Piperion) (Mesue)
Antidotum Apollonii Laodicensis (Nicholas)
Antidote for Wind and Cold (Nicholas)
Electuary of Calamus (Diacorum) (Mesue)
Electuary for Gastric Pain

Raisin Electuary (Mrdvikadi Leha) (Ayurveda)
Balivivan (Ayurveda)
Powder of Clove (Ayurveda)
Powder of Camphor (Ayurveda)
Sitopaladi Powder (Ayurveda)
Pomegranate 5 (Se bru 5)
Tabasheer 9
Costus 6 Powder (Ru rta drug pa) (Tibetan Medicine)
Cardamon 10 (Sug smel bcu pa) (Tibetan Medicine)
Mental Happiness (Sems kyi bde skyid) (Tibetan Medicine)
Pill of Three Tastes (Mongolian Medicine)
Su He Xiang Wan

Cautions:


Not suitable for use in Heat conditions or Yin deficiency.

Main Preparations used:


Species Diatrion pipereon, Strong Species, Distilled Oil of Pepper