Title:  Black Pepper 
Literature References:  Dried, unripe fruit of Piper nigrum L., Piperaceae.  White pepper consists of the seed only, with the ripe fruit removed.  Widely used as a cooking spice and in traditional medicine for dyspepsia.  Habit.  Southern India; cultivated in tropical Asia and the Caribbean.  Constit. Pungent principles, predominantly piperine, q.v., piperylin, piperolein A and B, cumaperine; 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethanol glycosides; volatile oil.  HPLC determn of piperine content:  M. Rathnawathie, K. A. Buckle, J. Chromatogr. 264, 316 (1983).  GC-MS analysis of constituents and antifungal and antioxidant properties:  G. Singh et al., J. Sci. Food Agric. 84, 1878 (2004).  Insecticidal activity:  H. C. F. Su, J. Econ. Entomol. 70, 18 (1977); W. P. Scott, G. H. McKibben, ibid. 71, 343 (1978).  Review of medicinal uses:  J. Gruenwald et al., PDR for Herbal Medicines (Medical Economics, Montvale, 3rd Ed., 2004) pp 105-106. 
  
Derivative Type:  Volatile oil  
CAS Registry Number:  8006-82-4 
Additional Names:  Black pepper oil;  oil of pepper 
Literature References:  Obtained from dried, unripened fruit.  Constit.  Complex mixture containing predominantly b-caryophyllene, limonene, sabinene, b-bisabolene, a-copaene, b-pinene. 
Properties:  Colorless or slightly green liquid.  d2525 0.864-0.884.  Angular rotation:  -1 to -23°.  nD20 1.479-1.488.  Sol in most fixed oils, mineral oil, propylene glycol; sparingly sol in glycerin.  Sol in 3 vols 95% alcohol. 
Optical Rotation:  Angular rotation:  -1 to -23° 
Index of refraction:  nD20 1.479-1.488 
Density:  d2525 0.864-0.884 
  
Use:  Pungently aromatic condiment in foods.   |