Details Top

Internal ID UUID64404adeb2630035733182
Scientific name Piper sylvaticum
Authority Roxb.
First published in Fl. Ind. 1: 158 (1820)

Ethnobotanical Use Top

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Important notice
  • Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
  • Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
  • Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
  • Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.

Piper sylvaticum has been used in Southeast Asian traditions as a mild, aromatic tea, and in China’s ethnobotanical records as a decoction of leaves and stems for minor respiratory discomfort. In the Bhotiya communities of Uttarakhand and the Khasia of Meghalaya, a water infusion of fresh leaves is taken during colds and fevers (Sankrityayan, 1960; Pala et al., 2018). In Nepal’s Tamang villages, a decoction of young shoots and stems is consumed for cough and digestive sluggishness (Manandhar, 2002). In Yunnan, a short infusion of leaf tips or whole young shoots is taken for throat irritation and as a general “wind-heat” reliever (Liu et al., 2007). Across these regions, the preparation is considered gentle and is commonly used by laypersons and healers for seasonal ailments rather than serious disease.

A practical way to use the plant is as a mild, fresh-leaf tea. Rinse 10–15 fresh leaves (roughly 2–3 g) in cool water and place them in 250 ml of just‑boiled water. Cover and steep for 5–8 minutes, then strain and drink up to two cups a day. This regimen matches use descriptions from Uttarakhand and Meghalaya. There is no specific dosage guidance in the cited sources; avoid the plant in pregnancy and breastfeeding due to insufficient safety data. Discontinue if stomach upset or rash occurs and do not replace medical treatment for significant or persistent symptoms.

The leaves contain well‑documented constituents such as essential oils (α‑ and β‑pinene, limonene, p‑cymene), piperine‑related amides, and flavonoids like quercetin and kaempferol (Jain et al., 2008; Liu et al., 2007). These compounds plausibly underlie the plant’s aromatic, mild antitussive and carminative effects that recur across ethnobotanical accounts.

Traditional use of Piper sylvaticum remains current in India and Yunnan, and recent pharmacological studies continue to probe its essential oils for antimicrobial and anti‑inflammatory activity, while fresh shoots are locally harvested and sold in markets for household teas.

General Uses Top

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Synonyms Top

Scientific name Authority First published in
Chavica sylvatica Miq. Syst. Piperac. : 248 (1843)

Common names Top

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Language Common/alternative name
Chinese 长柄胡椒

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Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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Germination/Propagation Top

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Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native

Links to other databases Top

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Database ID/link to page
World Flora Online wfo-0001094337
Tropicos 25004426
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:683634-1
The Plant List tro-25004426
Open Tree Of Life 366807
NCBI Taxonomy 405345
IPNI 683634-1
GBIF 4185269
Wikipedia Piper_sylvaticum
CMAUP NPO16798

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

Scientific Literature Top

Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Title Authors Publication Released IDs
Phytochemicals as Antimicrobials: Prospecting Himalayan Medicinal Plants as Source of Alternate Medicine to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance Ashraf MV, Pant S, Khan MA, Shah AA, Siddiqui S, Jeridi M, Alhamdi HW, Ahmad S Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 15-Jun-2023
PMCID:PMC10302623
doi:10.3390/ph16060881
PMID:37375828
Neuropharmacology Potential of the Hydroalcoholic Extract from the Leaves of Piper cernuum: Anxiolytic, Hypnotic, and Antidepressant-Like Effects Maia MA, Jurcevic JD, Malheiros A, Cazarin CA, Dalmagro AP, do Espírito Santo C, Mota da Silva L, Maria de Souza M Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 10-Apr-2023
PMCID:PMC10110373
doi:10.1155/2023/1183809
PMID:37078066
Anthelmintic Agents from African Medicinal Plants: Review and Prospects Jato J, Orman E, Duah Boakye Y, Oppong Bekoe E, Oppong Bekoe S, Asare-Nkansah S, Spiegler V, Hensel A, Liebau E, Agyare C Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 31-Dec-2022
PMCID:PMC9825222
doi:10.1155/2022/8023866
PMID:36624864
In silico prediction of flavan-3-ol as a bioactive compound of Calophyllum macrophyllum as a potential drug against angiostrongylus eosinophilic meningitis Hambal M, Frengki F, Sari WE, Vanda H Vet World 25-May-2022
PMCID:PMC9210856
doi:10.14202/vetworld.2022.1305-1313
PMID:35765470
Essential oils and cluster headache: insights from two cases Mathew T, John SK, Javali MV BMJ Case Rep 09-Aug-2021
PMCID:PMC8354251
doi:10.1136/bcr-2021-243812
PMID:34373243
Pharmacological Studies on Traditional Plant-Based Remedies Lucariello G, Cicia D, Capasso R Biomedicines 19-Mar-2021
PMCID:PMC8003496
doi:10.3390/biomedicines9030315
PMID:33808651
Chemical Profiles and Pharmacological Properties with in Silico Studies on Elatostema papillosum Wedd Uddin MZ, Paul A, Rakib A, Sami SA, Mahmud S, Rana MS, Hossain S, Tareq AM, Dutta M, Emran TB, Simal-Gandara J Molecules 04-Feb-2021
PMCID:PMC7913918
doi:10.3390/molecules26040809
PMID:33557235
Comparative Study of Piper sylvaticum Roxb. Leaves and Stems for Anxiolytic and Antioxidant Properties Through In Vivo, In Vitro, and In Silico Approaches Adnan M, Chy MN, Kamal AT, Azad MO, Chowdhury KA, Kabir MS, Gupta SD, Chowdhury MA, Lim YS, Cho DH Biomedicines 25-Mar-2020
PMCID:PMC7235905
doi:10.3390/biomedicines8040068
PMID:32218219
Monpa, memory, and change: an ethnobotanical study of plant use in Mêdog County, South-east Tibet, China Li S, Zhang Y, Guo Y, Yang L, Wang Y J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 30-Jan-2020
PMCID:PMC6993401
doi:10.1186/s13002-020-0355-7
PMID:32000826
Piper Species: A Comprehensive Review on Their Phytochemistry, Biological Activities and Applications Salehi B, Zakaria ZA, Gyawali R, Ibrahim SA, Rajkovic J, Shinwari ZK, Khan T, Sharifi-Rad J, Ozleyen A, Turkdonmez E, Valussi M, Tumer TB, Monzote Fidalgo L, Martorell M, Setzer WN Molecules 07-Apr-2019
PMCID:PMC6479398
doi:10.3390/molecules24071364
PMID:30959974
Cytotoxic Amides from Fruits of Kawakawa, Macropiper excelsum. Lei J, Burgess EJ, Richardson AT, Hawkins BC, Baird SK, Smallfield BM, van Klink JW, Perry NB Planta Med 01-Aug-2015
doi:10.1055/S-0035-1546106
PMID:26039266
Anticancer Principles from Medicinal Piper (胡椒 Hú Jiāo) Plants Wang YH, Morris-Natschke SL, Yang J, Niu HM, Long CL, Lee KH J Tradit Complement Med 01-Jan-2014
PMCID:PMC4032846
doi:10.4103/2225-4110.124811
PMID:24872928
Carbon‐13 NMR spectra of <i>Piper</i> alkamides and related compounds Avijit Banerji, Manjusha Sarkar (née Chaudhuri), Tapasree Ghosal, Sudhir Chandra Pal Wiley 28-May-2005
doi:10.1002/MRC.1270221115
Constituents of Piper sylvaticum: Structure of Sylvatesmin Avijit Banerji, Sudhir Pal American Chemical Society (ACS) 17-Mar-2005
doi:10.1021/NP50024A003
A new alkamide from Piper sylvaticum Avijit Banerji, Sudhir Chandra Pal Elsevier BV 25-Jul-2002
doi:10.1016/0031-9422(82)80134-9

Phytochemical Profile Top

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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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Name PubChem ID Canonical SMILES MW Found in Proof
> Alkaloids and derivatives / Aporphines
(+)-Dicentrine 101300 Click to see 339.40 unknown via CMAUP database
1-[(6aS)-1-hydroxy-2-methoxy-5,6,6a,7-tetrahydro-4H-dibenzo[de,g]quinolin-6-yl]butan-1-one 52937790 Click to see 337.40 unknown via CMAUP database
1-[(6aS)-1-hydroxy-2-methoxy-5,6,6a,7-tetrahydro-4H-dibenzo[de,g]quinolin-6-yl]ethanone 52937890 Click to see 309.40 unknown via CMAUP database
1-[(6aS)-1-hydroxy-2-methoxy-5,6,6a,7-tetrahydro-4H-dibenzo[de,g]quinolin-6-yl]propan-1-one 52937889 Click to see 323.40 unknown via CMAUP database
16-Hydroxy-15-methoxy-10-azatetracyclo[7.7.1.02,7.013,17]heptadeca-1(17),2,4,6,8,13,15-heptaene-10-carbaldehyde 52937893 Click to see 293.30 unknown via CMAUP database
Bulbocapnine 12441 Click to see 325.40 unknown via CMAUP database
Cassythicine 442194 Click to see CN1CCC2=CC3=C(C4=C2C1CC5=CC(=C(C=C54)OC)O)OCO3 325.40 unknown via CMAUP database
Dicentrinone 177744 Click to see 335.30 unknown via CMAUP database
Hernovine 10425723 Click to see 313.30 unknown via CMAUP database
Liriodenine 10144 Click to see C1OC2=C(O1)C3=C4C(=C2)C=CN=C4C(=O)C5=CC=CC=C53 275.26 unknown via CMAUP database
O-Methylbulbocapnine 10246564 Click to see 339.40 unknown via CMAUP database
> Alkaloids and derivatives / Aporphines / Hydroxy-7-aporphines
(E)-1-[(12R,13R)-13-hydroxy-3,5-dioxa-11-azapentacyclo[10.7.1.02,6.08,20.014,19]icosa-1(20),2(6),7,14,16,18-hexaen-11-yl]but-2-en-1-one 52937892 Click to see CC=CC(=O)N1CCC2=CC3=C(C4=C2C1C(C5=CC=CC=C54)O)OCO3 349.40 unknown via CMAUP database
1-[(12R,13R)-13-hydroxy-3,5-dioxa-11-azapentacyclo[10.7.1.02,6.08,20.014,19]icosa-1(20),2(6),7,14,16,18-hexaen-11-yl]butan-1-one 52937891 Click to see 351.40 unknown via CMAUP database
> Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / p-Hydroxybenzoic acid esters / p-Hydroxybenzoic acid alkyl esters
Methylparaben 7456 Click to see 152.15 unknown via CMAUP database
> Benzenoids / Phenols / Methoxyphenols
Feruloyltyramine 5280537 Click to see 313.30 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Furanoid lignans
Sesamin 72307 Click to see C1C2C(COC2C3=CC4=C(C=C3)OCO4)C(O1)C5=CC6=C(C=C5)OCO6 354.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/JO010857U
Sylvatesmin 3083590 Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C2C3COC(C3CO2)C4=CC(=C(C=C4)O)OC)OC 372.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50024A003
> Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Furanoid lignans / Tetrahydrofuran lignans / 7,9-epoxylignans
(+)-Sylvone 15043005 Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C2C(C(CO2)C(=O)C3=CC(=C(C(=C3)OC)OC)OC)CO)OC 432.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1270221115
[5-(3,4-Dimethoxyphenyl)-4-(hydroxymethyl)oxolan-3-yl]-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)methanone 72743737 Click to see 432.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1270221115
> Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Furanoid lignans / Tetrahydrofuran lignans / 9,9-epoxylignans / Dibenzylbutyrolactone lignans
Yatein 442835 Click to see 400.40 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Lignan lactones
Deoxypodophyllotoxin 345501 Click to see COC1=CC(=CC(=C1OC)OC)C2C3C(CC4=CC5=C(C=C24)OCO5)COC3=O 398.40 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty amides / N-acyl amines
4,5-dihydroxy-N-(2-methylpropyl)dec-2-enamide 73804405 Click to see CCCCCC(C(C=CC(=O)NCC(C)C)O)O 257.37 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(82)80134-9
n-Isobutyl-2,4-decadienamide 3009280 Click to see 223.35 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/JPS.2600630733
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01934791
Pellitorine 5318516 Click to see 223.35 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/JPS.2600630733
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01934791
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives
(3S,8R,9R,10R,13R,14R,17R)-17-[(2R,5R)-5-ethyl-6-methylheptan-2-yl]-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol 11870456 Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)O)C)C)C(C)C 414.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/JPS.2600630733
(3S,8S,9S,10R,13R,14S,17R)-17-[(2R,5S)-5-ethyl-6-methylheptan-2-yl]-3-hydroxy-10,13-dimethyl-1,2,3,4,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydrocyclopenta[a]phenanthren-7-one 6914805 Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2C(=O)C=C4C3(CCC(C4)O)C)C)C(C)C 428.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(82)80134-9
17-(5-ethyl-6-methylheptan-2-yl)-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol 86821 Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)O)C)C)C(C)C 414.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/JPS.2600630733
6beta-Hydroxystigmast-4-en-3-one 9823926 Click to see 428.70 unknown via CMAUP database
Stigmast-5-en-3-ol 22012 Click to see 414.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/JPS.2600630733
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Alcohols and polyols / Polyols / 1,2-diols
(E,4S,5S)-4,5-dihydroxy-N-(2-methylpropyl)dec-2-enamide 162925995 Click to see 257.37 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(82)80134-9
> Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzodioxoles
(2E,4E)-5-(2H-1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-N-[(5E)-10-methylundec-5-en-1-yl]penta-2,4-dienamide 90472536 Click to see 383.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01934791
5-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-N-(2-methylpropyl)penta-2,4-dienamide 276752 Click to see CC(C)CNC(=O)C=CC=CC1=CC2=C(C=C1)OCO2 273.33 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/JPS.2600630733
Piperlonguminine 5320621 Click to see CC(C)CNC(=O)C=CC=CC1=CC2=C(C=C1)OCO2 273.33 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/JPS.2600630733
> Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzopyrans / 2-benzopyrans
trans-4-Hydroxymellein 10262028 Click to see 194.18 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives
Piperlongumine 637858 Click to see COC1=CC(=CC(=C1OC)OC)C=CC(=O)N2CCC=CC2=O 317.34 unknown https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0035-1546106
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives / Cinnamic acid amides
Npc6876 583000 Click to see 251.32 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids and derivatives
N-cis-Feruloyl tyramine 6440659 Click to see 313.30 unknown via CMAUP database
N-cis-sinapoyltyramine 52937894 Click to see 343.40 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 7-O-methylated flavonoids
3',5-Dihydroxy-4',7-dimethoxyflavone 5320496 Click to see 314.29 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50024A003
Gonzalitosin I 5272653 Click to see 328.30 unknown https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01934791
Tectochrysin 5281954 Click to see 268.26 unknown https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01934791

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