by Barbara Minton
(Health Secrets) Black pepper does a whole lot more than hang around with salt. Researchers have recently found that black pepper can combat arthritis, lower the perception of pain, and reduce inflammation. These discoveries follow other studies showing black pepper can block complications from diabetes, act as a powerful antioxidant, and fight off colon cancer. Black pepper has been shown to substantially increase the bioavailability of nutrients from food and supplements, thereby providing more nutrients for each dollar spent. All this makes sprinkling black pepper on food one of the easiest and most economical interventions people can make to boost their overall health status.
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Piperine, the active phenolic compound in black pepper extract, has been studied to determine its affects on arthritis and inflammation as well as its ability to reduce the perception of pain. Piperine was found to inhibit the expression of pro-inflammatory interleukin 6, and MMP13, a gene involved in the promotion of arthritis and cancer metastasis. It reduced the production of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins, even at a very low dose. When given to arthritic rats, piperine significantly reduced their arthritis symptoms and perception of pain. Histological examination of the rats showed that piperine significantly reduced the inflammation in their joints.
There’s more to black pepper than getting rid of arthritis
Protein glycation is a process in which sugar molecules bond to protein molecules without enzymatic control. The result is the accumulation of end products that speed aging and the degeneration caused by diabetes. Scientists from the National Institute of Nutrition in India evaluated the ability of extracts from various plant-based foods to prevent the accumulation of advanced glycation end products. Black pepper, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, and green tea were the only extracts tested that showed significant ability to inhibit these end products.
The same research team investigated the ability of plants to modify aldose reductase activity, one of the mechanisms implicated in the development of various secondary complications of diabetes. Althougth synthetic drug inhibitors of aldose reductase have been created, none of them has been effective when used clinically. Extracts from 22 plants were tested, and ten showed considerable inhibitory potential, with the greatest potential shown by black pepper, spinach, cumin, fennel, lemon, and basil.
Black pepper is an antioxidant powerhouse
Antioxidants protect against hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Polyphenols are potent antioxidants found in plants. The research group from India’s National Institute of Nutrition worked to generate a database for the antioxidant activity and polyphenol content of plant foods commonly consumed in India, and to assess the contribution of the polyphenol content to their antioxidant activity. They tested plant foods belonging to different food groups such as cereals, legumes, oil seeds, oils, green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, spices, roots and tubers. They found that of all the foods tested, black pepper had the highest level of antioxidant activity and also the highest content of polyphenols. Antioxidant activity and polyphenol content was the lowest in sunflower oil.
Black pepper inhibits colon cancer cell proliferation
A study at St. Louis University in Missouri was designed to determine if black pepper, resveratrol from grapes, and cinnamaldehyde from cinnamon have anti-prolific effects on colon cancer. Quantitative effects of each substance on concentration responses and time courses of proliferation of cultured human colon cancer cells were assessed. Black pepper showed significant anti-proliferative activity at 24, 48 and 72 hours following ingestion.
Digestion and intestinal health are improved by black pepper