Javanese long pepper

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Javanese long pepper

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Chavica retrofracta
• Cubeba chaba
• Piper maritimum
• Chavica officinarum
• Chavica parvifolia
• Chavica maritima
• Piper officinarum
• Chavica labillardierei
• Piper parvifolium
• Chavica arnottiana
• Chavica chaba
• Piper palawanum
• Piper hapnium
• Piper chaba
• Piper arnottianum
• Amalago malamiri
• Amalago antillana

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Piperales, it is classified under the family Piperaceae. Ultimately, it is categorized within the genus Piper as the species Piper retrofractum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several key regions in Asia. In China, it is specifically found throughout the South-Central areas. Within the Indian Subcontinent, its presence extends to both Bangladesh and the East Himalaya region. The species also populates parts of Indo-China, including the country of Cambodia. Finally, its range reaches into Laos, completing its distribution across these diverse territories.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Piper retrofractum is characterized by its perennial growth habit as a climbing woody shrub that thrives in tropical and subtropical environments. Throughout its developmental stages, the plant exhibits a distinct vegetative strategy regarding its foliage, displaying a variable pattern of leaf retention that can be categorized as deciduous, evergreen, or a mixture of both depending on environmental conditions and local ecological stressors. As it climbs using adventitious roots, it establishes a robust structural presence, eventually progressing to its reproductive phase where it produces specialized inflorescences. The life cycle is closely tied to high humidity and warm temperatures, which support its continuous metabolic activity and the seasonal fluctuations in its leaf density.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Morphology

The morphology of Piper retrofractum is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody shrub that functions as an obligatory climber, utilizing surrounding structures for support as it ascends. The plant typically reaches a height with a mean value of approximately 3 m. In terms of its ecological positioning, it is classified as a terrestrial species, growing in the soil rather than exhibiting epiphytic behavior.

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Plant height mean:

3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Piper retrofractum is characterized by its metabolic processes as a perennial climbing shrub, primarily driven by its photosynthetic capacity and specialized secondary metabolism. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway to convert light energy into chemical energy, supporting its rapid growth and vine-like climbing habit. A key physiological aspect is its ability to synthesize various bioactive alkaloids and essential oils, such as piperine, within its tissues as part of its chemical defense and metabolic regulation. Regarding its interaction with soil nutrients, Piper retrofractum is not a nitrogen fixer; it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria (such as Rhizobium) typically found in leguminous plants, meaning it relies on the uptake of available nitrates and ammonium from the soil through its root system rather than atmospheric nitrogen fixation. Its physiological development is highly dependent on high humidity, warm temperatures, and organic matter, which facilitate efficient nutrient transport and transpiration rates throughout its vascular system.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Piper retrofractum has 5 reported plant parts identified across 24 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, root, stem, rhizome, leaf.

Fruit

1. Journal of intercultural ethnopharmacology
2. Journal of natural medicines
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences
5. Inflammation

Root

1. Journal of AOAC International
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
3. Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA
4. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Stem

1. Cell biochemistry and function
2. Journal of AOAC International
3. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Rhizome

1. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Leaf

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Chemicals

Piper retrofractum has 61 reported phytochemicals identified across 24 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include piperine, Piperlonguminine, Piperlongumine, Piplartine, sesamin.

piperine

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
2. The Journal of antibiotics
3. Journal of natural medicines
4. Biochemical pharmacology
5. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Piperlonguminine

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
2. Journal of natural medicines
3. Inflammation
4. Die Pharmazie
5. Drug design, development and therapy

Piperlongumine

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
2. Journal of intercultural ethnopharmacology
3. Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy
4. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Drug design, development and therapy

Piplartine

1. Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy
2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA

sesamin

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Journal of acupuncture and meridian studies
3. Journal of proteins and proteomics

Compound 1

1. Natural product research
2. Fitoterapia

Compound 2

1. Natural product research
2. Fitoterapia

Coumaperine

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
2. Journal of proteins and proteomics

Pellitorine

1. Planta medica
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

RETROFRACTAMIDE A

1. Journal of natural medicines
2. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin

Activities

Piper retrofractum has 29 reported activities identified across 24 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Anticancer, Cytotoxic, Analgesic, Antidiabetic.

Antioxidant

1. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)
2. Toxicology mechanisms and methods
3. Biological trace element research
4. Food science & nutrition
5. Drugs under experimental and clinical research

Anticancer

1. International journal of medical sciences
2. Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy
3. Food science & nutrition
4. Drug design, development and therapy
5. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Cytotoxic

1. Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy
2. Chirality
3. Food science & nutrition
4. Fitoterapia
5. Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA

Analgesic

1. Food science & nutrition
2. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine
3. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Antidiabetic

1. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
3. Drug design, development and therapy

Antimicrobial

1. Food science & nutrition
2. Drug design, development and therapy
3. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Antibacterial

1. Biological trace element research
2. Journal of breath research

Antihistaminic

1. Toxicology mechanisms and methods
2. Drugs under experimental and clinical research

Antihyperlipidemic

1. Inflammation
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Antispasmodic

1. Toxicology mechanisms and methods
2. Drugs under experimental and clinical research

Medicinal Uses

Piper retrofractum has 5 reported medicinal uses identified across 24 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Chikungunya Virus, diarrhea, hypertension, obesity, schizophrenia.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations