Piperine

Chemical Formula	C17H19NO3
Molecular Weight	285.343 g/mol
Names and Identifiers	PubChem Link
Traditional Name	Piperine
CAS Registry Number	94-62-2

 

Piperine, along with its isomer chavicine, is the alkaloid responsible for the pungency of black pepper and long pepper. It has been used in some forms of traditional medicine.

Piperine is extracted from black pepper using dichloromethane. Aqueous hydrotropes can be used in the extraction to result in high yield and selectivity. The amount of piperine varies from 1–2% in long pepper, to 5–10% in commercial white and black peppers. Further, it may be prepared by treating the solvent-free residue from an alcoholic extract of black pepper, with a solution of potassium hydroxide to remove resin (said to contain chavicine, an isomer of piperine) and solution of the washed, insoluble residue in warm alcohol, from which the alkaloid crystallises on cooling.

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