Long Pepper Remedies: Splenomegaly, Cough, Hoarse Voice

By Dr MS Krishnamurthy MD (Ayu), PhD

Introduction

Pippali  – Long pepper is famous for its adaptogenic, carminative, digestive and hepato-protective effects.
The plant long pepper is a creeper which spreads on the ground and climbs even over the trees. Now a days varieties of bush peppers are also found and usually the long pepper is grafted for such bush peppers for better yield and easy plucking.

Botanical name  – Piper longum Linn
Piperaceae family.

4 different specieses are identified and practiced in pippali and important ones are Pippali, Gajapippali, Vanapippali and Simhali.

Pippali containing formulations are numerously found in Ayurvedic literature.
Pippali is a common ingredient in Trikatu, Chaturooshana, Panchakola, Shadooshana etc.

Pippali is used as adjuvant in several preparations. In Rasashastric medicines, Pippali is found as highest used herbal drug. Its bio enhancing effect has been proved and hence this made the modern scientists too appreciate this drug. The herb has remained less in use in kitchens, but it has every ability and characters to use as a spice.
Read related: Pippali – Long Pepper Fruit – Uses, Dose, Side Effects

Ayurvedic medicines

Pippalyasava, Pippalyadi modaka, Vardhamanapippali rasayana, Choumsashthi prahari pippali, Gudapippali, Elakanadi kashaya etcx are the unique preparations of Pippali.

Home remedies

Few important simple preparations are discussed here below-

Cough, cold

1. Long pepper powder with hoeny for cough, cold, sore throat:
Pippali is made into fine powder and kept ready. 2-3 gram of this is mixed with honey and licked. This helps to pacify cough, cold, sore throat etc.

Sore throat, tonsillitis

2. Pippali hot infusion in sore throat and recurrent tonsillitis:
Pippali coarse powder is made and soaked with hot water in the ratio of 1:4 and kept for a while. This is taken by mixing 1 spoon of ghee, in lukewarm condition twice daily. Dose is 30 – 50 ml.
This is effective in sore throat, eosinophilia, tonsillitis etc.

Indigestion

3. Long pepper fruit decoction for indigestion, cold, hoarseness of the voice etc:
10-20 ml of Pippali decoction is administered twice or thrice daily in case of indigestion, low digestion, poor appetite, cold, hoarseness of the voice, rhinitis etc.

Intestinal worms

4. Long pepper remedy for intestinal worms:
Long pepper, cumin, black pepper and Vidanga are taken in equal quantity and fine powder is made. This is administered in the dose of 3-5 gram twice or thrice a day. This is very effective against intestinal worms and colic pain.

Diarrhea, splenomegaly

5. Long pepper with lemon juice for diarrhea, splenomegaly:
Dried pippali fruits are soaked in lemon juice and kept in sun shade till complete drying. This is repeated for 3 times. Then it is powdered and kept ready. This is administered in the dose of 1-2 gram twice or thrice daily. It has significant benefits on low digestion, diarrhea, fever, lack of strength, splenomegaly nd loss of hunger.

Pippali is a master spice of Ayurveda and herbal medicine. Being all the ability and potential surely it may occupy the main seat in the list of spices in near future once it is explored by its different characteristic actions and utilities.

Individually I’m very certain that from the date within 10 years most of the modern medicines (Allopaths) will come along with the combination of Pippali as such or with its derivatives as it has strong bio enhancing effect and adaptogenic properties. If once this is brought into practice modern science also benefited and public domain gets maximum profit out of this venture. Let this happen at the earliest.
Click to consult Dr MS Krishnamurthy MD (Ayu), PhD