Long pepper (Piper longum, Pippali, Indian long pepper) is dried and used as a spice.
Black, green and white pepper are found and the very word ‘Pepper‘ is derived from word ‘Pippali‘ used in South India.
Another species of long pepper, Piper retrofractum, is native to Java, Indonesia. The fruits of this plant are often confused with chili peppers, which belong to the Capsicum family, originally from south America.
Medicinal Usage & Health Benefits of Long Pepper
Long Pepper promotes growth of intelligence.
They are used to cure wet cough, asthma, excess water in abdomen or body, skin diseases, diabetes, piles, stomach ache, indigestion, constipation, anemia etc by direct usage or by mixing with other ingredients.
Recent researches have proved that Long Pepper can help cure Bronchial Asthma effectively.
Vardhamana Pippali Yogam (increasing dosage of long pepper daily) helps in curing all breath and lungs related diseases.
It is also discovered that few chemicals extracted from long pepper, help cure tuberculosis.
Certain enzyme extracted from long pepper help expand coronary arteries connected to heart.
Long Pepper powder is also used to cure ankle pain, liver or spleen expansion.
Usage of Vardhamana Pippali Yogam : On day 1, take powder of 2 long peppers along with water or cow milk.
Increase dosage at the rate of adding 1 long pepper per day until 15 days.
From 16th day, start reducing 1 long pepper per day for next 15 days.
So, in a month of 30 days, you should increase dosage for initial 15 days and then do reverse process for next 15 days.
This will cure piles, indigestion, anemia, asthma, phlegm in throat and lungs, wet cough.
Medicinal Usage & Health Benefits of Long Pepper in other Diseases
Amoebiasis : Take long pepper powder, cumin seeds powder together with water.
Wet Cough with Phlegm : 3 gms long pepper powder with sugar and horsegram syrup (water boiled with horsegram).
Lactation of Mother : When a mother is unable to produce enough milk for her infant, take long pepper plant’s root and powder it.
This powdered root should be mixed with equal quantity of black pepper powder and necessary quantity of milk for consumption.
1 spoon each of long pepper root’s powder and black pepper powder with 250 ml warm milk is good ratio.
For Cold and Fever : 10 gms Long Pepper powder should be taken with 1 spoon honey.
Cough : 0 gms Long Pepper powder should be taken with Jaggery.
References : Long Pepper – Wikipedia