Table 4 Pharmacological activities of Piper nigrum extracts, piperine and BPEO

Antioxidant

BPEO

In vitro

DPPH scavenging

Not reported

EC₅₀ : 103.3 µg/ml

Noteworthy radical activity observed. Though control details are not reported

[50]

Anti-inflammatory

Piperine

In vitro

B16F-10 melanoma cells

Not reported

MIC: 2, 5, 10 mg/µl

Piperine showed dose dependent inhibition against B16F-10 melanoma cell lines. However proper control details not reported

[51]

Anti-inflammatory

BPEO

In vivo

Carrageenan induced acute inflammatory Balb/C mice

Positive: Carrageenan

100, 500, 1000 mg/kg body weight

The dose 500 mg/kg body weight was performed significant inhibition (72 %) at 3rd hour compared to control

[52]

Anti-inflammatory

BPEO

In vivo

Formalin induced chronic inflammatory Balb/C mice

Positive: Formalin

100, 500, 1000 mg/kg body weight

500 mg/kg body weight BPEO produced 50 % inhibition of paw edema compared to control

[52]

Anti-inflammatory

BPEO

In vivo

Dextran induced acute inflammatory Balb/C mice

Positive: Dextran

100, 500, 1000 mg/kg body weight

1000 mg/kg body weight significantly reduced the paw thickness 73.4 % at 3rd hour compared to the control

[52]

Antibacterial activity

BPEO

In vitro

Alcaligenes faecalis, Acinetobacter calcoacetica, Beneckea natriegens, B. subtilis, Brevibacterium linens, Clostridium sporogenes, Citrobacter freundii, E. carotovora, Enterococcus faecalis, E. coli, Micrococcus luteus

Not reported

Not reported

Highest zone of inhibition (19.7 mm) was obtained against P. aeruginosa. However, in this study dosage and control was not reported. It reduces reliability of results

[53]

Anticancer activity

Piperine

In vivo

DMBA induced carcinogenesis in Syrian golden hamsters

Postive: DMBA

Negative : Distilled water

50 mg / kg, oral administration for 14 weeks

Results showed that piperine totally inhibited the oral carcinoma formation

[20]

Anticancer activity

Piperene

In vtiro

MCF-7 cell line

Negative : Distilled water

IC₅₀: 1.21 µM for 24 h exposure

Piperine exhibited significant synergistic effects in combination with paclitaxel on human breast cancer cell line MCF-7

[54]

Anticancer activity

Piperene

In vtiro

HER overexpressing breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and SKBR-3)

Negative : Distilled water

IC₅₀ : 200 µM & 50 µM for MCF-7 and SKBR-3 cell lines respectively, 48 h exposure

Piperine strongly inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis through caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage. Also, piperine inhibited HER2 gene expression. This study suggested that piperine may be a potential agent for the prevention and treatment of human breast cancer with HER2 overexpression

[55]

Antiobesity activity

Piperine

In vivo

Obesity-induced dyslipidemia in high-fat diet rats

Not reported

40 mg / kg for 3 weeks

Supplementation of piperine with high fat diet significantly reduced body weight and total cholesterol. Though control details not reported

[56]

Antiaging and wrinkling

BPEO

In vitro

Human neutrophil elastase

Negative: Distilled water

1 µg/ml

BPEP showed noteworthy elastase inhibitory activity. However, dosage of the experiment is not scientifically accepted

[57]

Antihypertensive activity

Piperine

In vivo

Anesthetize induced Sprague-Dawley male rats

Positive:

Acetylcholine

1 to 10 mg/kg body weight

Intravenous administration of piperine caused a dose-dependent decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP) in normotensive anesthetized rats. Also, higher dose (30 mg/kg) of piperine did not cause any further change in MAP. However, this study not reported detailed dosages along with experiment duration.

[19]

Antiasthmatic activity

Piperine

In vivo

Asthma induced Balb/c mice

Positive:

Ovalbumin + vehicle

4.5 & 2.25 mg/kg, oral administration, five times a week for 8 weeks

Piperine-treated group had suppressed eosinophil infiltration, allergic airway inflammation and airway hyper responsiveness, and these occurred by suppression of the production of interleukin-4, interleukin-5, immunoglobulin E and histamine, than comparing with control group

[58]

Antidepressant & cognitive

Piperine

In vivo

Male wistar rats

Positive:

Diazepam

5, 10 & 20 mg/kg body weight once daily for 4 weeks

All the treatment showed anti-depression like activity and cognitive enhancing activity

[23]

Antidepressant activity

Piperine

In vivo

Corticosterone-induced depression in mice

Negative: Distilled water

10 mg/kg body weight for 24 h.

Significant decrease in sucrose consumption and increase in immobility time in the forced swim test and tail suspension test

[59]

Antidepressant activity

Piperine

In vivo

Pilocarpine (350 mg/kg i.p.) induced rats

Positive: Pilocarpine

25 mg/kg, p.o. for 10 days

In comparison with pilocarpine, piperine significantly reduced lipid peroxidase and catalase activity, and increased GSH level, brain-plasma phenytoin and number of viable neurons

[60]

Anticonvulsant activity

Piperine

In vivo

Pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)- and picrotoxin (PIC)-induced seizure in mice

Negative:

Normal Saline

30, 50 and 70 mg/kg, i.p.

Piperine protected animals from PTZ induced seizures in a dose-dependent manner. PTZ-induced convulsion in piperine treated animals was significantly different compared to saline treated animals

[61]

Insecticidal activity

BPEO

In vivo

Sitophilus zeamais

Negative: Distilled water

LD₅₀: 26.4 µl/g for 48 h

BPEO showed some insecticide activity (contact toxicity) against Sitophilus zeamais

[62]