The efficacy and function of Piper longifolia

Long-fruited Piper gracile is a very good medicinal material. It is often used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat patients. It has extremely high medicinal value. Let us learn about several aspects of long-fruited Piper gracile.

【Other name】 Java long pepper

[Source] Medicinal material source: It is the infructescence of Piper nigrum of the Piperaceae family.

[Original form] Pseudopiper longituba is a climbing vine. All parts are hairless. The branches are cylindrical, with longitudinal stripes and brown when dry. Simple leaves are alternate; petioles are 5-11mm long, with short sheaths only at the base; leaf blades are stiff papery, with dense glandular dots, pale when dry, narrowly elliptic, ovate-oblong or elliptic, 8.5-16cm long, 3.2-7.5cm wide, acuminate to mucronate at the apex, nearly equal to unequal bases, obtuse on both sides or slightly narrow and short on one side; 4-5 lateral veins on each side of the midrib. Flowers are unisexual, dioecious, and organized into spikes opposite leaves; male inflorescence 5-6.5cm long, peduncle slightly longer than petiole, bracts round, sessile, 2 or 3 stamens, anthers broadly oblong, nearly without filaments; female inflorescence 3-4cm long, peduncle and bracts identical to male inflorescence, ovary embedded in the inflorescence axis, stigmas 3, ovate-short-pointed, outward-curved, immature berries with rounded apex, lower part embedded in and fused with the inflorescence axis. Flowering period is from May to July.

【Habitat distribution】 Cultivated in Guangdong and Taiwan.

[Chemical composition] The fruit contains essential oil, including cadinene and a small amount of aldehydes and phenolic ethers. It also contains piperine, guineesine, piperononaline, piperoctadecalidine, filfiline, and eicosa-2, 4, 8-trienoic acidisobutylamide. Recently, the following substances have been isolated from the aerial parts: sesamin, 3,4,5-trimethoxydihydrocinnamic acid and retrofractamide A, B, C and D, among which retrofractamide B is pipercide.

【Nature and flavor】 Spicy; warm

【Meridian】 Stomach meridian

【Functions and indications】Warms the middle and strengthens the stomach; dispels cold and relieves pain. It is used to treat stomach cold, abdominal distension and pain; indigestion; vomiting of clear water; headache; toothache; sinusitis; hernia

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decocted in water, 1.5-3g; or taken as pills or powder. For external use: Take appropriate amount, grind into fine powder and apply to decayed teeth.

【Note】 It is forbidden to take this medicine if one suffers from Yin deficiency and excessive fire.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

In fact, you will only know its benefits after practicing it. Just like the traditional Chinese medicine Piper longifolia introduced above, it turns out that Piper longifolia can also treat some other diseases. Therefore, eating it in moderation has many benefits.