LIFE SCIENCE FOR GENERAL UNDERSTANDING: PLANTS -IX

 LIFE SCIENCE FOR GENERAL UNDERSTANDING:      PLANTS -IX

BLACK PEPPER [Milagu (Tamil), Kari Menasu (Kannada), Kuru Mulagu (Malayalam), Miriyam (Telugu), and Kali Mirch (Hindi).

If Cardamom is ‘queen of spices’, black pepper is ‘King of Spices’. May be the harsh sweep of ‘hot’ impact upon a tasting of a grain of the spice has invited the nomenclature –if my guess is not off target. Black pepper is a native of Southern India and a regular item on the list of groceries procured every month. Botanically referred to as Piper nigrum ;  is a climber WHICH PREFERS SHADY locales of hilly slopes  for lush growth and profuse flowering / fruiting. A pet and favourite of the traditional Grandma recipe are these fruits of black pepper in a variety of preparations like ‘Rasam’, Pongal , items like ‘Rava dosa’ and not to speak of the Madurai delicacy the ‘MEDHU VADA’ . My naming it Madurai delicacy is borne out of the abundant patronage that this stuff enjoys across the social spectrum of Madurai citizens. Rather the day dawns with this item and the evening is marked by its dominance across eateries- big and small which register a prolific ‘take off’ putting to shame the proverbial Hot Cake’.

Other than culinary significance, black pepper enjoys application in the preparation of insecticides,  preservatives, perfumery and traditional medicine. Medicinal values of B.PEP[ black pepper ] include its utility in setting right gastrointestinal disorder, cough, fever abatement , anti-helminthic profile [antidote for worms]

The aroma and pungent ‘feel’ from B.PEP are ascribed to volatile oils and Piperine –the alkaloid in pepper. About 2-7% of both White and black pepper  contains Piperine. According to some observations, Piperine helps to enhance the therapeutic value of drugs and vaccines  by inhibiting certain digestive enzymes which degrade the effect of medicine.

Also piperine promotes Pancreatic activity and intestinal digestive juices useful for digestion. Rheumatism, cold and fever are controlled by essential oils in pepper which may constitute 0.5 -7%of the dry weight of the fruit.

Volatile oils in Pepper are nerolidol and piperamides which have insecticidal activity. These are used in perfumes using piperine and essential oils by blending.

Not without reason the culinary schedules across India incorporate black pepper in preparations. Our compulsion to use the term Black pepper arises from two counts . 1 there is white variety besides the American usage ‘pepper ‘ for what goes as Chillies in our country.  Practical wisdom advises that prefer Pepper to chillies as the former is more beneficial to health instead mere ‘heating up’ the tongue. Small items like pepper and Mustard are indeed great items by their value.

Prof. K. Raman