Piper longum, Long Pepper, Bi Ba 荜茇
Bi Ba (TCM)Pippali (Ayurveda)
Thippili (Siddha)
Filfil Daraz, Peepal (Unani)
Pi pi ling པི་པི་ལིང༌ (Tibetan)
The root of Long Pepper is called Peepalmool (Unani), Thippiliver (Siddha)
Long Pepper, Parkinson, Theatrum Botanicum, 1640
Piper longumWoodville, Hooker, Spratt, Medical Botany, 1832
Long Pepper (Adam, 2017)Botanical name:
Piper spp.
- P. longum
- P. officinum
- Gaja Pippali: Piper chaba–Java Long Pepper fruit
- Sainghali: Piper retrofractum
- Vana-pippali: Piper peepuloides, Piper sylvaticum
Parts used:
Mature ripe fruit
The root of Long Pepper is also used in Ayurveda. It has similar effects but is considered more heating.
Temperature & Taste:
Hot, dry. Pungent
Classifications:
2H. CARMINATIVE. 2S. STRENGTHENING
3C. ALEXIPHARMIC
4e. STOMACHIC
TCM:
M. Warm to Expel Cold
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
Root in powder: 1–3 grams
Correctives:
1. Gum Arabic
2. Tragacanth
3. Sandalwood
4. Rose, Rose Water
Substitutes:
1. White or Black Pepper
2. Ginger (Unani)
3. Zedoary
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.
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, the Three Peppers are combined with Thyme, Annis and Ginger. (This is Trikatu with Thyme and Annis) (Powder of Three Peppers) (Diatrion Piperion) of Mesue)
ii. to purge Cold-Phlegm, Long Pepper with Triphala, Caradamon, Cinnamon, Ginger, Turbith, Senna (Ayurveda)
2. Indigestion, Food Stagnation, Long Pepper with Cumin, Rue, Saltpeter (as in Lesser Cumin Composition (Diospoliticum) of Galen)
3. Nausea, Bloating, Indigestion, Long Pepper with Coriander, Fennel, Aniseed, Cinnamon, Clove, Nutmeg (as in Peptic Powder)
4. Gastric pain, Long Pepper, Cumin, Calamus, Bayberry (as in Electuary for Gastric Pain)
5. Poor appetite and digestion, Long and Black Pepper, Ginger, Celery seed, Cumin, Asafetida, Rock Salt (as in Hingvastaka Churna)
6. Acid Reflux, Heartburn, Nausea, Long Pepper with Calcite, Safflower, Costus, Pomegranate seed, Lesser Cardamon (as in Calcite 6 of Tibetan Medicine)
7. Diarrhea, Gastritis, Long Pepper, Wormwood, Cyperus, Mastic, Red Coral, Pomegranate flower, Sumac, Cinnamon (as in Powder to Warm and Bind the Belly of Roneletius)
8. Cough from Wind, Long Pepper, Zedoary, Nigella, Plumbago, Rock Salt (Ayurveda)
9. To Warm the Yang, Aphrodisiac:
i. Long Pepper with Pyrethrum and Galangal (Culpeper)
ii. Long Pepper powder is made into an Electuary with Ghee and Honey. (Unani)
iii. Long Pepper, Nutmeg (half dram each), Stavesacre seed, Pyrethrum root (2 scruples each), Mustard, Oregano (1 scruple), Honey (sufficient). (as in Stimulant Pastilles from Memorial Pharmaceutique, 1824)
10. Poor or Failing Memory:
i. Long Pepper with Chebulic Myrobalan (as in Expert Electuary for the Memory)
11. Dizziness and Vertigo:
i. Long Pepper with Chebulic Myrobalan and Dill seed (Ayurveda)
ii. Long Pepper with Peony, Nutmeg, Mistletoe, Galangal, Rosemary (as in Powder for Dizzyness and Vertigo)
12. Joint Pain, Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Long Pepper with Chebulic Myroabaln and Aconitum ferox (as in Pill of Three Tastes of Mongolian Medicine)
13. Consumption, Long Pepper is taken with Triphala and Honey
14. To promote Longevity, Virility and Intellect, and cure diseases of aging, combine Long Pepper with Tabasheer, Rock Salt, Licorice and Triphala (Ayurveda)
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:
1. Full doses are not suitable for use in Heat conditions or Yin deficiency.
2. Generally not used in Diabetes, Tuberculosis, Lupus Erythematosus, and Menopausal syndrome
Drug Interactions:
Used in full doses it can interfere with various medication. It can enhance blood levels of certain medication due to it increasing bio-availability. In some cases it can reduce blood levels of medication due to stimulating Liver activity. This is not usually a problem as it is usually used as a small part of a larger formula.
Main Preparations used:
Species Diatrion pipereon, Strong Species, Distilled Oil of Pepper
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Extra Info
- Research