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Black Pepper (Piper nigrum)
Aroma
Black pepper essential oil has a spicy and sharp aroma with a middle note.
The plant
The black pepper plant is a climbing vine-like shrub with dark green leaves, white flowers and red fruit. When left to grow naturally the plant grows to about 20 foot tall, but often it is cultivated to just twelve feet. It is a plant that thrives best in shady conditions and needs support to grow upright.
Black pepper is native to the Eastern world, in particular Singapore, Malaysia and India, where it is now widely cultivated. White pepper is not used for oil extraction as it is the black pepper which yields the more aromatic oil and in greater quantities.
The extraction
Black pepper essential oil is extracted from the plant using the process of distillation, which maintains the integrity of the active ingredients.
Affects
Black pepper has a history of use for stimulating the detox systems and strengthening the body. It is a warming and stimulating oil, good for using on muscle aches and pains and also for the digestive system.
History
Black pepper has been used for centuries and is a key ingredient in Ayurvedic medicine which dates back to over 4000 years ago. The name originates from the Sanskrit word ‘pippali’ which was later changed to the Latin ‘piper’, and now it is ‘pepper’.
During the Middle Ages the black pepper trade was intrinsic to the wealth of India and Europe. The Portuguese were the main suppliers of black pepper and this was a cause of many naval wars between the Portuguese and French and Dutch.
Interesting fact
In the Romans time, black pepper was more valuable than money, and it was used to pay taxes with instead of coins.
Chemical constituents
Eugenol, Myristicin, Safrole (Phenol), Bisabolene, Camphene, Farnesene, Limonene, Myrcene, Phellandrene, Pinene, Sabinene, Selinene, Thujene (Terpenes), Caryophyllene (Sesquiterpene).
Blending
Black pepper essential oil blends well with bergamot, ylang ylang, frankincense, sandalwood, rosemary, palmarosa, lemon, grapefruit and geranium.
