Morphological information

An aromatic slender climber. Stems creeping, jointed and become attached to other plants. Leaves 5-9 cm long and 3.5 cm wide, sub acute, entire, glabrous, cordate with broad rounded lobes at the base. Spikes pedunculate and upright; male larger and slender; female 1.3- 2.5 cm long and 4.5 mm diameter. Fruits yellowish orange, ovoid, sunk in fleshy spike. Flowers in the rainy seasons and fruits in the autumn.

Flowering                           : May-August

Fruiting                              : November-February

History                              :

Parts                                 : Fruits and roots

Status                               : Vulnerable

Phytochemistry

Piperlonguimine, piperlonguminine, piperine, sesamin, methyl 3,4,5- trimethoxycinnamete isolated from roots.

Agrocultivation

 P.longum is cultivated on a large scale on limestone soil where there is heavy rainfall, in places like Cherrapunji from the end of March to middle of September where the relative humidity is high. It is propagated by layering of mature branches or by suckers planted at the beginning of rainy season. The vines are well manured with cowdong cake and start bearing three to four years after planting. The spikes are harvested in January, while still green and unripe, as they are more pungent at this stage. They are dried in sun when they turn grey.

 

Medicinal

It is used as an alternative tonic in paraplegia, chronic cough, enlargement of spleen and other abdominal viscera. Boiled with ginger, mustard oil, buttermilk and curds used in sciatica and paralysis.

Ayurvedic

The plant is an age-old ayurvedic drug. It is used in the preparation called "Piplarishata" used for asthma, contains long pepper, bark of Symplocus paniculata, bark pepper (Piper nigrum) and stem of Cissampelds pareira. These are mixed and fermented. Other ayurvedic preparations are "Pipplyasava". Panchkote and Pippalayadi Lauha.

Unani

Some of the well Known preparations of Alongum are "Itrifal Fauladi", angaruyakabir and Majun Khadar.The dried immature fruit and the root in the form of decoction were extensively used in acute and chronic bronchitis.

Traditional

The local people use the fruit in abdominal disorders, cough and asthma. The decoction of the root mixed with warm water is given to ladies at the time of delivery (Project Report, Nepali System).

 

 

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