Brazelian pepper

The scientific name of the Brazilian pepper: is Piper colubrinum Link.

Family:  Piperaceae

Name of Brazilian pepper in different languages:

Sanskrit:  Krushna

English: Brazilian pepper

Malayalam: Brazilian Thippaly

Plant description:-

An erect shrub, 1.5-2 m in height, stem puts forth numerous aerial roots that go and penetrate rot-causing the soil. Water stagnation is not detrimental as long as the shoot is above water level. Due to its affinity for fresh water, it can be used only with irrigation

Leaf Arrangement

Lanceolate	Margin-Entire	Venation-Cross venulated

Useful plant parts:

Root, seed

Medicinal uses:

The plant has been found immune to the foot rot causing fungus Phytophthora capsici and resistant to nematodes that cause root knots in black pepper. It is quite compatible with black pepper and hence used as a rootstock for black pepper grafting.

In traditional systems of medicine, including Ayurveda, Siddha, and traditional Chinese medicine, Piper colubrinum has been used for its various therapeutic properties. Here are some of its traditional uses:

1. Digestive Health: Long pepper has been used to support digestive function. It is believed to stimulate appetite, improve digestion, and alleviate digestive disorders such as bloating and flatulence.
2. Respiratory Conditions: It has a long history of use for respiratory issues. It is believed to help clear congestion, soothe coughs, and support overall respiratory health.
3. Anti-inflammatory Properties: Piper colubrinum is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties and has been used to alleviate inflammation in conditions like arthritis.
4. Expectorant: It is used as an expectorant to help expel mucus from the respiratory tract, which can be beneficial for conditions like bronchitis.
5. Aphrodisiac: In some traditional systems, long pepper is considered an aphrodisiac and is used to enhance sexual vitality.
6. Nervine Tonic: It has been used as a nervine tonic, which means it is believed to have a calming and soothing effect on the nervous system.
7. Pain Relief: Long pepper is used in some traditional systems to alleviate pain, including headaches and menstrual cramps.
8. Antimicrobial Properties: It is believed to have antimicrobial properties, which may make it beneficial in fighting against certain types of infections.
9. Antioxidant Activity: Some traditional uses of long pepper may be attributed to its potential antioxidant properties.

Chemical contents:

Piperlongumine, peppeyartin, peppering

Propagation :

By cuttings or seeds. Seeds have to be fresh while sowing since viability is low. Seeds sown in sand germinate readily and after four leaf stages can be transferred to bags filled with any suitable potting mixture. Cuttings with 3 nodes if kept in poly bags with any medium will root within a week. When cuttings are taken, collect cuttings only from the main shoot and avoid lateral branches that bear fruits, since grafts on such shoots tend to fail quickly. Shoots with olive green or dark green color only should be used and those having yellow, brown, or discoloration must be avoided. It takes about five months to reach the grafting stage after transplanting seedlings or planting cuttings when a height of 50 cm or above is reached. Grafting at 50 cm height is needed to avoid splashing of soil, debris, etc. that contain fungal spores to the pepper vine and also to have more aerial roots growing into the ground. Since the plant is shade-loving, rootstock materials are to be raised under shade nets or houses with 50 percent shade and watered daily.

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