Published Research - P

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Pippali

Botanical name: Piper longum

Long pepper has long been used in medicine and is an important culinary spice throughout the Indian subcontinent, Sri Lanka, Middle Eastern countries and the Americas. It became popular in Europe, northern and eastern Africa, where it was introduced by traders from India, and it is said that the Roman emperors valued it even more highly than black pepper.

Immuno-modulatory activity
Tests such as haemagglutination titre (HA), macrophage migration index (MMI) and phagocytic index (PI) in mice have demonstrated the immuno-stimulatory action of Piper longum fruits to be both specific and non-specific. The effect was more prominent at lower doses (225mg/kg) and was marginally reduced when the dose was increased.

Source: Tripathi DM, Gupta N, Lakshmi V, Saxena KC, Agarwal AK 1999 - Anti-giardial and immuno-stimulatory effect of Piper longum on giardiasis due to Giardia lamblia. Phytotherapy Research 13(7):561

Stimulant effects
Isolated piperine showed a central stimulant action in frogs, mice, rats and dogs and increased the hypnotic response in mice. It antagonised respiratory depression induced by morphine or pentobarbitone in anaesthetised dogs.

Source: Singh N, Kulshreshta VK, Srivastava RK, Kohli RP 1973 - Analeptic activity of some Piper longum alkaloids. Journal of Research into Indian Medicine 8(1):1

Anti-asthmatic activity
Studies have been carried out to validate the traditional claims of Ayurveda for anti-asthmatic activity of Piper longum. An extract of the fruits in milk reduced passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in rats and protected guinea pigs against antigen-induced bronchospasm.

Source: Kulshreshta VK, Srivastava RK, Singh N, Kohli RP 1969 - A study of central stimulant effect of Piper longum. Indian Journal of Pharmacology 1(2):8

Anti-amoebic activity
The fruits were tested for their efficacy against (Entamoeba histolytica) in vitro and experimental caecal amoebiasis in vivo. Both the ethanolic extract and isolated piperine produced an improvement of 90% and 40% respectively, in rats with caecal amoebiasis.

Source: Ghosal S, Prasad K, Lakshmi V 1996 - Anti-amoebic activity of Piper longum against Entamoeba histolytica in vitro and in vivo. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 50(3):167

Punarnava

Botanical name: Boerhaavia diffusa

The plant has been used for diverse diseases for centuries.

Diuretic effect
Clinically, a diuretic effect comparable to furosemide was observed, with a reduction in urinary protein excretion and increase in serum protein level in patients with nephritic syndrome. Immunoglobulins and immune complexes were increased after a month of medication and Punarnava was considered to be a useful and safe drug. A seasonal variation was exhibited for the diurectic and anti-inflammatory effects of the roots and leaves of the plant, with maximum activity observed in plants collected in the rainy season.

Source: Mishra AS, Verma J, Kumari N 1995 - Studies on medicinal properties of Convolvulus pluricaulis and Boerhaavia diffusa. Biojournal 6(1/2):31

Hepatoprotective activity
An aqueous extract of the root (2ml/kg) conferred a marked protection of the serum parameters GOT, GPT, ACP and ALP; however no protection of GLDH and bilirubin was observed. The aqueous extract was more potent than the powdered drug. The chloroform and methanolic extract of roots also exhibited hepatoprotective activity and oral administration of an ethanolic extract of the whole plant of B. diffusa showed activity against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats and mice. A strong choleretic action was observed which resulted in an increase in bile flow and no signs of toxicity were observed up to an oral dose of 2g/kg body weight in mice. Three rotenoids, one steroid and one flavone isolated from the plant lowered the content of enzyme GOT.

Source: Chandan BK, Sharma AK, Anand KK 1991 - Boerhaavia diffusa: A study of its hepatoprotective activity. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 31(3):299-307

Antifibrinolytic activity
The root extract, administered to monkeys fitted with an intrauterine device (IUD), produced a noticeable reduction in the amount and duration of menstrual flow (124%) and menstrual iron loss, indicating a potent anti-fibrinolytic and anti-inflammatory action and substantiating its use in IUD-induced menorrhagia. Punarnavoside has been identified as an anti-fibrinolytic agent.

Source: Jain GK, Khanna NM 1989 - Punarnavoside, a new anti-fibrinolytic agent from Boerhaavia diffusa Linn. Indian Journal of Chemistry 28B(2):163