A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW ON NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS, CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND PHARMACOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES OF BLACK AND WHITE PEPPER

Indian spices and medicinal herbs are well known throughout the world. Both have many different physiological and pharmacological characteristics. The current biomedical research is mostly concentrated on finding chemicals extracted from natural sources that are pharmacologically efficient and have little to no side effects for application in food production and preventative medicine. Pepper (Piper nigrum) is a common spice found in both Eastern and Western cuisine. It helps in digestion and weight loss by encouraging the breakdown of fat cells and has a remarkable antioxidant and antibacterial impact. Numerous independent researchers have conducted experiments that show pepper and its main ingredient, piperine, to have a variety of physiological effects. In-vitro studies have shown that piperine can prevent oxidative damage by suppressing or inhibiting harmful free radicals and oxygen compounds that are reactive. Apart from anti-oxidant property, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrheal, antispasmodic, antidepressant, immunomodulatory, anticonvulsant, anti-thyroid, antibacterial, antifungal, hepato-protective, insecticidal, and larvicidal activities are just a few of the potential pharmacological effects of Piper nigrum L and its active component, “Piperine,”. The purpose of the current review paper is to present an updated assessment of the literature on recent developments in the nutritional, chemistry, and pharmacological activity of Piper nigrum L cultivars.