Piper peepuloides

Among the Santhal of West Bengal, a mild tea made by steeping 2–3 g of dried leaves in hot water for ten minutes is drunk twice daily to relieve fever and mild stomach upset (Singh & Kumar, 2010). The Bodo of Assam prepare a decoction by boiling fresh bark and leaves in water for twenty minutes; the liquid is taken in small doses to treat dysentery and intestinal parasites (Chakraborty et al., 2018). In the Lisu villages of Arunachal Pradesh, a poultice of crushed aerial parts mixed with warm water is applied to wounds or rheumatic joints for an hour before rinsing (Dhakal, 2020).

To make a 1:5 (w/v) ethanol tincture of Piper peepuloides root, place 20 g of finely cut, dried root in a glass jar and cover with 100 mL of 45 % ethanol. Seal, store in a cool, dark place, and shake daily for three weeks. Then strain through fine muslin and press the marc; transfer the filtrate to an amber bottle. The final tincture contains roughly 200 mg root per milliliter. Typical adult dose is 2–3 drops (≈0.1 mL) taken twice daily, diluted in water. The preparation contains piperine and other alkaloids; it should not be used by pregnant or nursing women, and individuals on anticoagulants should seek medical advice before use.

Phytochemical work has identified the alkaloid piperine in the leaves (Sharma & Rao, 2015). The leaf and stem essential oil is dominated by monoterpenes—α‑pinene, β‑pinene and limonene—along with the sesquiterpene (E)‑caryophyllene, accounting for roughly 15 %, 9 %, 6 % and 8 % of the oil respectively (Kaur et al., 2013). Small amounts of coumarins and phenolic acids have also been reported from the root (Singh et al., 2012). These constituents are known for antimicrobial and anti‑inflammatory activity, which could plausibly explain the plant’s traditional use for fever, dysentery and cough.

Recent pharmacological testing shows that extracts of Piper peepuloides inhibit several bacterial strains and reduce inflammation in vitro, supporting the ethnomedical observations (Sharma & Rao, 2015; Kaur et al., 2013). The essential oil is starting to appear in niche herbal shops across the Indian Northeast, but supply remains limited because the plant is still collected mainly from the wild. Local communities continue to use the leaf tea and root tincture as part of everyday health routines, and researchers are working to standardize a safe dosage for a cough‑relief product.

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