Cubeb

Scientific name of cubeb: Piper cubeb

Synonyms:  Piper ritrofractum Vahl. 

Family:  Piperaceae

Name of cubeb  in different languages:

English: Tailed pepper, Java pepper

Sanscrit: Kalapalak, Rachan, Jalavaluka, Hemakshiri, Kankushtha, Virang, Shodha, Kolavaluka, Rocan

Malayalam: Valmulaku വാൽമുളക്.

Hindi:  Chab

Sanskrit:  Chavika

Plant description:

Tailed pepper-Piper cubeb is a perennial plant, climbing vine, the leaves are smooth, dark green, long and tapered apex, ovate to oblong, tapered apex, up to 6.5 inches long, and branches round. The flowers are in narrow spikes at the branch’s apex. The fruit is a berry, a little longer than black pepper and tailed. Quite glabrous, stem stout climbing and rooting, leaves very short petioled rather coriaceous oblong-ovate or lanceolate acuminate, 3-5 nerved at the very obliquely cordate auricled base penninerved above it. Fruiting spike stoutly peduncled, suberect conical-cylindric.

Propagation:  Cuttings

Useful plant parts:

Stem, root, and fruit

Leaf Arrangement

Shape-Heart shaped	Margin-Entire	Venation-parallel

Medicinal uses:

Dental diseases, loss of voice, fevers, and cough, halitosis, external application of the paste of the cubeb can intensify sexual pleasure in males and females during coitus. Fruit tonic is used for languidness and after childbirth, haemorrhoidal affections. Fruit and root is used in dyspepsia. The fruit is used for the treatment of cough and common cold and the stem bark for asthma, cough, cold, indigestion, loss of appetite, and piles. The antitubercular properties of this plant have also been reported. Preliminary pharmaco-logical examination revealed a hypotensive and smooth muscle relaxant action

Chemical contents:

Cubebin, Cubebic acid and Pepparacin.

Root: beta-sitosterol, alkaloids- piperine, sylvatine, and piperlonguminine, fruits: Methyl piperate and filfiline, caryophyllene.

How to prepare medicines:

It is used in dental diseases, loss of voice, fevers, and cough and cold, halitosis.

It is one of the ingredients in Ayurveda medicines like

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