PIPPALI

PIPPALI
Common name Long pepper (E), Pipal (H), Pimpli (H)
Sanskrit Pippali
Latin Piper longum – Fructus (Piperacea)

This small shrub grows all over the tropical forests of India. It is a fine rejuvenative to the
respiratory system; its sweet post-digestive effect is very nourishing to the deeper reproductive
tissues of the body.

ENERGETICS
Rasa (taste) Pungent
Virya (action) Mildly heating not hot
Vipaka (post-digestive effect) Sweet
Guna (quality) Oily, light, penetrating
Dosha effect VK-, P+
Dhatu (tissue) Plasma, blood, fat, nerve, reproductive
Srota (channel) Circulatory, digestive, respiratory, reproductive

CONSTITUENTS
Volatile oil- beta-bisabolene, beta-carophyllene
Alkaloids – piperine, piperlongumine, piplartine
Lignans – sesamin, fargesin
Fixed oil- esters1

BIO-MEDICAL ACTION
Digestive stimulant, carminative, expectorant, bronchodilator, anthelmintic, analgesic, circulatory
stimulant, aphrodisiac

INDICATIONS
Lungs Primarily used for cold, wet and ‘mucusy’ conditions of the lungs. It is a rejuvenative for the
lungs, pranavahasrotas and avalambaka kapha. It encourages vasodilation and therefore increases
circulation, specifically to the lungs. Used with honey in asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and
compromised immunity in the respiratory system to reduce kapha. It is also used to treat mild fever
by removing the ama from rasa dhatu and alleviating the concurrent aches in the muscles and
joints.2
GIT Used to stimulate agni and clear weak digestion with symptoms of nausea, slow digestion,
flatulence with a cold and painful abdomen. In malabsorption it can increase assimilation of
nutrients. Clinical studies show that that piperine increases the absorption of curcumin in Turmeric
root (used at 1:10). Its anthelmintic qualities are used as part of a formula to kill worms, amoebas
and parasites. It helps to treat diarrhoea from cold symptoms and constipation (vibandha) from
stagnant apana vayu. Also used in diabetes as it reduces any excess of and rejuvenates the medas-
dhatu.3
Reproduction Its sweet post-digestive effect points to its ability to tonify the shukra dhatu and
reproductive tissue which is useful in infertility, impotence and premature ejaculation. It is the only
hot and penetrating substance to do this as hot substances usually consume shukra dhatu.4

1
Williamson
2
Frawley and Lad
3
Koul and Kapil 1993. Tillotson
4
Bhavaprakasha

© Sebastian Pole 2006

Circulation Its pungency and sweetness invigorate blood and nourish rakta. By enhancing the
digestive fire in the tissues it is a rasayana to rasa and rakta dhatu as it helps to assimiliate more
nutrients for building the plasma and the blood. It can also help to penetrate the cold pain of
sciatica.5
Liver It has a hepatoprotective effect that may benefit fibrosis.6
Nerves Its ability to nourish majja dhatu, due to its sweet vipaka, helps in vata disorders and also
to nourish the brain.

AYURVEDIC ACTION
Deepana Enkindles the digestive fire
Pachana Digests toxins
Amanashak Destroys toxins
Bhedaniya Purgtive
Chedana Scratches toxins from the tissues
Krimighna Vermifuge
Medohara Reduces fat tissue
Kushtaghna Alleviates skin diseases
Shwasakasahara Benefits breathing
Shirovirechan Clears toxins from the head
Hikkanigrahan Alleviates hiccups
Jwarahara Mitigates fevers
Vrishya Aphrodisiac
Rasayana Rejuvenative, specifically to plasma, blood, fat and reproductive tissues
Medhya Improves the intellect

COMBINATIONS
+ Ginger, Black pepper as Trikatu for low agni, kapha, ama and weak lungs.
+ Haritaki, Licorice, Pushkaramoola for allergic rhinitis, hayfever and atopic asthma.
+ Gokshura, Kappikacchu and Ashwagandha for male reproductive function.
+ Kutki, Neem, Bhumiamalaki in hepatitis.

CONTRAINDICATIONS
In excess pitta and other inflammations of the intestines.

SAFETY
The piperine content of Long pepper, when used as an isolated ingredient, has been associated with
enhancing blood levels of certain medication such as propanolol, theophylline, rifampicin as it may
inhibit drug metabolism in the liver when it is used over a long period of time at a high dose. Hence
all patients taking drugs that are metabolised in the liver must be carefully monitored if Long pepper
is prescribed. 7 Other sources report that in its whole form it is a short-term bio-availability
enhancer, increasing nutrient absorption, quickening absorption and reducing blood levels of
medication.8

DOSAGE
1–5g/day powder or 5–15ml of a 1:5 @ 60% tincture. Due to safety issues do not use at a high
dose (more than 5g/day) for long periods of time. Low dose is safe for long-term use as attested to
by the vast amount of Ayurvedic formulas containing Pippali.

5
Gogte
6
Tillotson
7
Mosby
8
Williamson

© Sebastian Pole 2006

NOTES
* Pippali thrives in more temperate conditions than Black pepper.
• Its sweetness gives it rejuvenative properties and its oilyness make it less drying and not as
excessively heating as Black pepper.
• The fresh green Pippali reduces pitta and increases kapha.
* Often boiled with milk for deficient lungs. Pippali vardhanam is a cumulative treatment where 1
long pepper is boiled in a glass of milk and water (1:1 reduced to 1) and drunk daily. 1 long pepper
is added daily for 14 days (up to 14 Pippali!) and then reduced by the same ratio for 14 days.
Excellent for asthma where there is no dairy intolerance.
* Pippalimoola, Piper longum radix is also used in Ayurveda. It has similar properties as the fruit,
but is a more ‘condensed’ heat. Combining it with Trikatu makes Chaturushna, The Four Pungents. It
has the same properties as Trikatu but is slightly stronger.

© Sebastian Pole 2006