Botanical Index No. 127

Black Pepper

piper nigrum l.

Medicinal Actions

Alexeteric, Analeptic, Analgesic, Antibacterial, Anticonvulsant, Antidote, Antiglucuronidase, Antileishmanic, Antioxidant, Antipyretic, Antiseptic, Carminative, Catecholaminic, Diaphoretic, Digestive, Diuretic, Emmenagogue, Epinephrinogenic, Expectorant, Fungicide, Gastrogogue, Hepatotonic, HMG-CoA-Reductase Inhibitor, Hypertensive, Hypocholesterolemic, Hypotensive, Insecticide, Larvicide, Mutagenic, Peristaltic, Positive Chronotropic, Respiradepressant, Scabicide, Secretagogue, Sialagogue, Stimulant, Stomachic, Taenicide, Tonic, Colic

Primary Conditions Treated

Abortifacient fish mushroom shellfish Aperitif Rubefacient Adenosis Allergy Alopecia Amenorrhea Anorexia Arthrosis Asthma Athlete’s Foot Atony Bacteria Bite Boil Bronchosis Calculus Cancer abdomen anus breast colon eye face gum liver mouth nose parotid sinew spleen stomach throat uvula Candida Catarrh Cholera Cold Coma Condyloma Constipation Congestion Convulsion Corn Cough Debility Dermatosis Diarrhea Dog Bite Dry Mouth Dysentery Dysmenorrhea Dyspepsia Dysuria Epididymosis Escherichia Favus Fever Frostbite Fungus Furunculosis Galactorrhea Gas Gastrosis Gingivosis cer Gonorrhea Gravel Headache Head Cold Hemorrhoid Hepatosis Hiccup High Blood Pressure High Cholesterol Induration Infection Itch Leishmaniasis Lethargy Low Blood Pressure Malaria Mucososis Mycosis Nausea Neuralgia Ophthalmia Pain Paralysis Paraplegia Parturition Phymata Prolapse Respirosis Rhinosis Ringworm Scabies Scarlatina Scirrhus Snakebite Sore Throat Splenosis Staphylococcus Stomachache Swelling Tapeworm Tinea Toothache Tumor Ulcer Urethrosis Urolithiasis Vertigo Vomiting Wart Water Retention Wen Yeast

General Dosage

Single doses 300–600 mg; daily dosage 1500 mg; 5–15 whole peppercorns for hemorrhoids; 1–15 grains; spice chicken soup with black pepper for congestion, cough, or head cold.

Safety & Contraindications

Class 1 “Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages”. Although pepper contains the carcinogen safrole, it is at very low levels compared to sassafras.

!