Does Black Pepper Have Medicinal Use?

Medicinal Uses for Black Pepper

In traditional medicine, black pepper has been used for digestive disorders, such as indigestion, vomiting, diarrhea, and flatulence.

Suggested modern medicinal applications of black pepper have included the treatment of cigarette withdrawal symptoms, postural instability in older adults, and swallowing difficulties in post-stroke and neurological disorder patients. However, while some initial research has indicated possible benefit, further clinical evidence supporting the use of black pepper for any human indication is needed.

Ayurveda: In Ayurvedic medicine, black pepper is used to improve digestion, stimulate appetite, and treat gastrointestinal problems, including diarrhea, dyspepsia and flatulence. It is also used to treat colds, coughs and sore throats. A preparation called "Trikatu" (black pepper, long pepper, and ginger) is prescribed routinely for a variety of diseases. Black pepper is often recommended for people with a "kapha dosha," an Ayurvedic term used to describe a body type characterized by cold, wet, heavy, and slow functioning.

Black pepper is a common ingredient in chai, a spiced black tea beverage used throughout India that includes other herbs also believed to be "warming tonics," such as cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and star anise. Black pepper is also included with many of the same herbs (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger) in Yogi Bhajan's "Yogi Tea," used as a general tonic tea for a wide range of applications including digestive disorders, blood purification, immunostimulation, and as an antiparasitic.

In Ayurveda, diabetes is believed to be a disorder of "kapha imbalance," due to "low digestive fire," and black pepper is used as a warming herb to help stimulate digestive processes. Black pepper is also used in Ayurveda to treat cholera, colic, headache, toothache, and urinary problems. Externally, it has been applied in paste form to treat skin diseases.

Chinese medicine: In traditional Chinese medicine, black pepper is believed to have a warming effect in the body, and it is used to treat "cold stomach" with symptoms of abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea.

European medicine: In the Middle Ages, black pepper may have been used as a preservative for meat and other perishable foods, but the practice was likely not widespread, as pepper was a luxury item at the time.

Modern (Western) herbal medicine: Black pepper may be recommended by herbalists to stimulate digestion, improve blood circulation, and warm the body. It is also recommended to treat other health concerns, including arthritis, colic, diarrhea, flatulence, headache, indigestion, nausea and vertigo.

References
1.Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. www.naturalstandard.com

http://www.depsyl.com/

http://back2basicnutrition.com/

http://bionutritionalresearch.olhblogspace.com/