11 Jul Pain & Inflammation Relief with Piperine
Piperine is the major alkaloid constituent present in P. nigrum (black pepper) and P. logum (long pepper). Piperine has been scientifically validated as a bioavailability enhancer. There are a few possible mechanisms by which piperine acts as bio-enhancers:
Promoting rapid absorption of nutrients/ medicines
Increasing blood supply to the GI tract
Increasing emulsifying content of the gut
Curcumin + Piperine = Bioavailability Increased by 2000%
In a human clinical trial evaluating the bioavailability of curcumin (2g) with the addition of piperine (20mg) administered orally, the serum samples showed that curcumin with piperine had 2000% better bioavailability than curcumin taken alone (P<0.001).[1]
In addition, piperine has been shown to enhance curcumin’s neuro-protective effect against anti-psychotic medications (ie. haloperidol).[2]
Piperine also increases the absorption and bioavailability of various other nutrients.
In a double-blind clinical study, beta-carotene plus piperine was shown to yield 160% greater area under the curve (AUC) of serum beta-carotene than beta-carotene plus placebo over a course of 14 days.[3]
In other clinical studies, piperine was shown to enhance the bioavailability of coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone) by 130% over 21 days of supplementation,[4] as well as selenium (145%), vitamin B6 (216%), and resveratrol (229%).[5]
Piperine – A Supreme Anti-Inflammatory Agent
Piperine has been demonstrated to possess anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory actions by inhibiting the maturation, migration, and T-cell stimulatory capacity of dendritic cells (DC) in vivo and in vitro, as well as affecting T cell cytokine secretion.[6] These findings suggest that piperine can be an excellent adjunct ingredient for various autoimmune and inflammatory disorders (eg. SLE, RA, IBD).
Is piperine contraindicated in arthritic patients with a nightshade (Solanacea) allergy?
Some practitioners are concerned about giving piperine-containing supplements to arthritic patients with a nightshade allergy under the consensus that nightshade family (Solanaceae) includes potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum), eggplants (Solanum melongena), tobaccos (Nicotinana tabacum), and all types of peppers (Capsicum sp.) – EXCEPT black pepper.
Most people are not aware of the fact that black pepper (Piper sp.) belongs to the Piperaceae family, NOT the nightshade.[7] Piperine can actually be an excellent medicine working synergistically with other anti-inflammatory medicines eg. curcumin, boswellia to treat arthritis patients, and should not pose any problem with nightshade allergic individuals.
Clinical Applications (along with Boswellia and Curcumin):
Reduce inflammation and pain of joints caused by autoimmune conditions (eg. RA, Psoriasis, SLE)
Relieve inflammation and pain from OA, tendonitis and fibromalgia.
Noticeably reduce the hsCRP levels.
Reference:
Shoba G, Joy D, Joseph T, Majeed M, Rajendra R, Srinvas PSSR. Influence of Piperine on the Pharmacokinetics of Curcumin in Animals and Human Volunteers. Planta Medica (1998). Vol 64: 353-356.
Bishnoi M, Chopra K, Lu RZ, Kulkarni SK. Protective effect of curcumin and its combination with piperine (bioavailability enhancer) against haloperidol-associated neurotoxicity: cellular and neurochemical evidence. Neurotox Res (2011). Vol20:215-225.
Badmaev V, Majeed M, Norkus EP. Piperine, an alkaloid derived from black pepper increases serum response of beta-carotene during 14-days of oral beta-carotene supplementation. Nutrition Research (1999). Vol19(3):381-388.
Badmaev V, Majeed M, Prakash L. Piperine derived from black pepper increases the plasma levels of coenzyme Q10 following oral supplementation. J Nutr. Biochem. (2000). Vol11:109-113.
Johnson JJ, Nihal M, Siddiqui IA, Scarlett CO, Bailey HH, Mukhtar H, Ahmad N. Enhancing the bioavailability of resveratrol by combining it with piperine. Mol. Nutr. Food Res. (2011). Vol55:1169-1176.
Rogers GA. Immunomodulatory effects of piperine on dendritic cell function. Immunol. (2011). Vol30(4):1233-1242.
Childers NF, Margoles MS. An Apparent Relation of Nightshades (Solanaceae) to Arthritis. J Neuro Ortho Med Surgery (1993). Vol12:227-231.