ABSTRACT:
Piperine is an alkaloid responsible for the pungency of black pepper and long pepper, along with chavicine (an isomer of piperine). Piperine increases bioavailability of many drugs and nutrients by inhibiting various metabolising enzymes. Piper nigrum L and its active constituent "Piperine"exhibits diverse pharmacological activities like antihypertensive, antiplatelet, antioxidant, antitumor, anti-asthmatics, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrheal, antispasmodic, antidepressants, immuno-modulatory, anticonvulsant, anti-thyroids, antibacterial, antifungal, hepato- protective, insecticidal and larvicidal activities etc. Piperine's bioavailability-enhancing property may be attributed to increased absorption, which may be due to alteration in membrane lipid dynamics and change in the conformation of enzymes in the intestine. The approach is novel as the abundantly available natural product piperine is utilized as precursor for the synthesis of new potential anticancer agents. This article concludes the bioavailability enhancing property, preformulation and formulation study and anticancer property of piperine.