Medicinal Plants

Piper nigrum L.

Lada

Piperaceae

Location in the garden Palm
Photo 1 of medicinal plant Piper nigrum (Lada) Photo 2 of medicinal plant Piper nigrum (Lada) Photo 3 of medicinal plant Piper nigrum (Lada)

Summary

Lada or black pepper (Piper nigrum) is a climbing plant up to 10 meters long of the Piperaceae family, native to the Western Ghats of India, brought by Indian merchants to Indonesia with production centers in Lampung, Bangka, and Belitung. Its seeds are the most influential spicy spice in world trade history. Pepper is also believed to help ease breathing and control blood pressure.

Agroecology

Grows well in lowland to mid-elevation regions with elevations of 3-1,000 m above sea level, rainfall 2,000-3,000 mm/year, air temperature 20-34°C, air humidity 60-93%, soil pH 5.5–6.5, and requires adequate sunlight, between 8–10 hours per day.

Morphology

  • Roots taproot but resembling fibrous roots, small in size but not long.
  • Stem somewhat flat, jointed, joint length 7–12cm, has a stolon (main stem). Branches emerge from leaf axils and branch nodes.
  • Leaves single, egg-shaped, green, tapering tip. Glossy upper surface, non-glossy underside.
  • Flowers compound, each panicle consisting of 150 flowers. Green calyx, greenish-yellow petals
  • Fruit round, soft fruit skin, attached to the panicle, dark green (young) and red (ripe).
  • Seeds globose, 3-4 mm diameter, hard. 

Cultivation

Propagated vegetatively (cuttings) and generatively (seed).

Chemical Content

Starch, resin, saponin, phenolic amide, enolic acid, flavonoid, wisasine, sesquiterpenes, caryophyllene, limonene, essential oil (chavicine, piperine alkaloid, piperidine, methylpyrroline)

Benefits

Maintains skin and intestinal health, helps ease the respiratory system, prevents stomach ulcers, controls blood pressure, lowers cancer risk, addresses flu symptoms, vomiting after eating and internal heat, treats impotence, menstrual pain, muscle pain, rheumatism, and malaria.

Simplisia

  • Select good, healthy, mature pepper seeds.
  • Wet-sort by separating the pepper from its stalk through threshing.
  • Wash the pepper seeds thoroughly with running water.
  • Dry the pepper seeds in the sun. Dry until completely dry.
  • Pack in a plastic bag/closed container.

Local Names

Leudeu pedih (Gayo), Pedes (Sunda), Mrico (Java), Sahang (Bangka).

Traditional Recipes

The following recipes reflect traditional knowledge passed down through generations, not a substitute for professional medical diagnosis or advice. Consult a healthcare provider before use.

Traditional recipe Addressing Vomiting After Eating from Lada

1. Addressing Vomiting After Eating

  • Prepare 2 g pepper powder and 10 g ginger rhizome, peel and slice.
  • Mix with 200 ml boiled water.
  • Juice all ingredients, strain then drink all at once, once a day.
Traditional recipe Internal Heat from Lada

2. Internal Heat

  • Boil 5 g pepper and 1 pear in 350 ml water until it boils. Strain the decoction, add 1 tbsp honey.
  • Drink all at once while warm.

Reference Sources

  1. Gorgani L, Mohammadi M, Najafpour GD, Nikzad M. 2016. Piperine: the bioactive compound of black pepper: from isolation to medicinal formulations. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety 1-17.
  2. Rojudin E, Slamet AH. (2003). Teknik pengukuran dan penghitungan pertumbuhan vegetatif Lada Perdu di bawah tegakan Kelapa. Buletin Teknik Pertanian. 8(1): 34-36.
  3. Syam A. 2003. Efisiensi produksi komoditas lada di propinsi bangka belitung. Jurnal Sosial Ekonomi Pertanian: 1-24.
  4. Prosea. Piper nigrum. https://uses.plantnet-project.org/en/Piper_nigrum_(PROSEA) 10-12- 2019.