title: Alkaloids from piper: a review of its phytochemistry and pharmacology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Piper has been used for long timelike condiment and food, but also in traditional medicine around of the world. This work resumes the available and up to date work done on members of the Piperaceae family and their uses for therapeutic purposes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information on Piper genus was gathered via internet using scientific databases such as Scirus, Google Scholar, CAB-abstracts, MedlinePlus, Pubmed, SciFinder, Scopus and Web of Science.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The largeleafed perennial plant Piper is used for its spicy aromatic scent and flavor. It has an important presence in the cuisine of different cultures. Another quality of these plants is their known medicinal properties. It has been used as emollient, antirheumatic, diuretic, stimulant, abortifacient, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal and antidermatophytic. A survey of the literature shows that the genus Piper is mainly known for its alkaloids with cytotoxic, chemopreventive, antimetastatic and antitumor properties in several types of cancer. Studies of its alkaloids highlight the existence of various potential leads to develop new anti-cancer agents. Modern pharmacology studies have demonstrated that its crude extracts and active compounds possess wide pharmacological activities, especially asantioxidant, anti-depressive, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial, anti-obesity, neuropharmacological, to treat cognitive disorders, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-feedant, cardioactive, immuno-enhancing, and anti-inflamatory. All this evidence supporting its traditional uses.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This review summarizes the up-to-date and comprehensive information concerning the botany, traditional use, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Piper together with its toxicology, and discusses the possible trend and scope for further research on Piper in the future.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Investigacion de Productos Naturales, Escuela Superior de Ingenieria Quimica e Industrias extractivas IPN. Av. Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Adolfo Lopez Mateos cp 07758, Mexico D.F. rmpg@prodigy.net.mx
authors.forename: Rosa Martha Perez
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.forename: Adriana Maria Neira
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hoyo-Vadillo
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy; D031701:Piper / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000975:Antioxidants; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors