A plant species in the PIPERACEAE plant family. It is a common spice on foods and is used medicinally to increase gastrointestinal assimilation of other supplements and drugs. Piperine is a key component. Black pepper is picked unripe and heaped for a few days to ferment. White Pepper is the ripe fruit dehulled by maceration in water.

Annotation

see entry terms at CAPSICUM for other types of pepper

DUI

D029222 MeSH Browser

CUI

M0384133

History note

2002; for BLACK PEPPER use SPICES 1993-2001; for WHITE PEPPER use SPICES 1998-2001

Public note

2002; for BLACK PEPPER see BLACK PEPPER 2001-2015; for WHITE PEPPER see SPICES 1998-2001